Acupressure therapy for insomnia in adolescents: a polysomnographic study

cupressure therapy for insomnia in adolescents: a polysomnographic study Original Research (1022) Total Article Views Authors: Carotenuto M, Gallai B, Parisi L, Roccella M, Esposito M Published Date January 2013 Volume 2013:9 Pages 157 - 162 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S41892 Received: 20 December 2012 Accepted: 27 December 2012 Published: 25 January 2013 Marco Carotenuto,1 Beatrice Gallai,2 Lucia Parisi,3 Michele Roccella,3 Maria Esposito1 1Sleep Clinic for Developmental Age, Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Second University of Naples, Naples, 2Unit of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Perugia, Perugia, 3Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of acupressure therapy in a sample of adolescents with insomnia using a standard polysomnographic evaluation. Methods: For this study, 25 adolescents affected by psychophysiological insomnia (mean age 15.04 ± 1.18 years, 12 boys) were enrolled. A device known as the Sea-Band was used by the patients in order to improve their symptoms related to difficulty in falling asleep. All subjects enrolled underwent two sets of consecutive overnight polysomnographic studies in the Sleep Laboratory of the Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, comprising two studies at baseline (before treatment) and another two studies at the end of 6 months of treatment. Results: At the end of 6 months of treatment, there was a significant increase in all macrostructural parameters of sleep duration, and a reduction in sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, and stage 2 sleep. Moreover, the study group showed a significant increase in percent sleep efficiency (P < 0.001) and in slow wave sleep representation. Conclusion: Acupressure is a noninvasive, safe, and effective method for the management of insomnia in adolescents, with good compliance and no adverse effects.