From left: Beomjin Choi (master’s student), Professor Hyuk Choi (corresponding author), and Professor Nyeonju Kang (corresponding author)

A joint research team consisting of Beomjin Choi, a researcher in the Department of Physical Education at the Graduate School of Incheon National University (master’s student, first author), Professor Hyuk Choi of the Korea University College of Medicine (corresponding author), and Professor Nyeonju Kang of the Division of Sport Science (corresponding author), recently published a meta-analysis on the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) on sleep quality and insomnia symptoms in Sleep Medicine Reviews, a top-tier SCI journal in the field of sleep medicine (Impact Factor: 9.7, top 2.5%).

Sleep disorders and insomnia are highly common health problems in modern society. Recently, tVNS, a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has drawn attention for its potential to regulate autonomic nervous system function and improve sleep. To quantitatively evaluate whether tVNS has a positive effect on sleep health, the research team conducted a meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled clinical trials involving a total of 690 participants.

The results showed that tVNS intervention significantly improved overall sleep quality and reduced insomnia symptoms. The study also found a tendency for greater sleep improvement effects among younger participants.

The joint research team stated, “This study demonstrates the potential of tVNS to improve sleep quality and insomnia through autonomic nervous system regulation,” adding, “In particular, its significance lies in suggesting a new possibility for sleep disorder management as a non-pharmacological and non-invasive method.”

They further noted, “Future studies are needed to identify optimal application strategies according to various tVNS protocol conditions, including stimulation site, intensity, and frequency, as well as long-term follow-up studies targeting specific clinical populations such as patients with neurological diseases including Parkinson’s disease or chronic sleep disorders.”

This study was also recognized as a paper featured in BRIC’s “People Who Brightened Korea” list, which highlights research published in journals with an Impact Factor of 10 or higher or ranked within the top 3% of their fields.