The elderly can sleep better now!

Researchers from Hong Kong have found from a recent study that auricular therapy may help the elderly who have trouble in getting a good night's sleep. Auricular therapy is an ancient treatment, similar to acupuncture, which is intended to stimulate certain nerve endings, particularly in the ear. The treatment is done by placing magnetic pearls on various points on the ear.

One hundred and twenty individuals over age 60, who were having trouble sleeping, were involved in the study in which researchers had the pearls placed on seven points of the ear believed to have an effect on promoting sleep. In the treatment that lasted for 3 weeks, the subjects' sleep was monitored thrice - before the therapy, in the middle of the therapy period and within one week after completion of therapy. Researchers concluded that auricular therapy using magnetic pearls is an effective means of improving the quantity and quality of sleep in the elderly as the results showed that those individuals who had the auricular therapy had significant improvement in their sleep.