01/14/2026
Here's a powerful finding: in a study of 4,155 people receiving care for depression, those who also got acupuncture were significantly more likely to no longer meet depression criteria six months later—about 47% vs 33% (Jin, 2022).
That means mornings that feel manageable, sleep that actually refreshes you, and a nervous system that isn't stuck in overdrive. The acupuncture group also needed fewer medication adjustments and used about 25% fewer sleeping pills—signs that things were stabilizing, not just quieting temporarily (Jin, 2022).
How does it work? Acupuncture can help shift your body out of "fight or flight" mode, improve sleep quality, and ease anxiety. When sleep and stress settle down, mood often has space to improve.
At Jennum O'Hara Acupuncture, we focus on calming your stress response and supporting restful sleep—because when your body feels safer, your mind can soften too. Have questions? Call us at +1-240-319-2694 or visit https://jennumacupuncture.com/
Citation: Jin, L., Xu, J., Wang, W., et al. Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture for Depression: A Large Real-world Data Analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2022.