Objective To observe clinical curative effects of diathermal moxibustion in treating insomnia.Methods Randomly divided 230 patients with insomnia into treatment group and control group

with 115 cases in each. The control group was orally given alprazolam tablets

40 mg each time

once per day. The treatment group also selected Baihui（ GV20）

Sishencong（ EX-HN1）

Geshu（ BL17）

Xinshu（ BL15）

Pishu（ BL20）

Ganshu（ BL18） and Shendao（ GV11） for diathermal moxibustion

once each day. The treatment in both groups was for 20 days. Observed sleep quality and sleep efficiency with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index（ PSQI） before and after treatment

and evaluated clinical curative effect after treatment. Results There were 105 cases in the treatment group and 99 cases in the control group completed treatment. The total effective rate of clinical curative effect in the treatment group was 91. 4% while that in the control group was 83. 8%. The former was superior with significant difference（ P < 0. 05）. Compared with that before treatment

sleep quality and sleep efficiency of patients in the two groups after treatment all improved（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）; the improvement of sleep quality in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group（ P < 0. 01）. The difference of sleep efficiency had no statistical significance（ P > 0. 05）. Conclusion Diathermal moxibustion combined with alprazolam tablets could remarkably improve sleep quality and sleep efficiency of patients with insomnia.