Acupuncture combined with transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for chronic postpartum insomnia comorbid with emotional disorders: a case report.

Postpartum women constitute a vulnerable population in whom insomnia comorbid with emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression is disproportionately prevalent, attributable to hormonal fluctuations, environmental changes, and social role transitions. This comorbidity significantly increases their long-term risk of mental health disorders. Given the safety concerns of sedative-hypnotic medications, non-pharmacological therapies are the first-line treatment for this population. We report the case of a 34-year-old woman with chronic postpartum insomnia comorbid with emotional disorders, who provided written informed consent for the publication of her de-identified clinical data and received 4 weeks of combined acupuncture and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) treatment. Clinical assessments were performed at baseline, week 2, week 4 (end of treatment), and week 8 (4-week post-treatment follow-up) using validated scales including the PSQI, ISI, and HAMA, among others. After 4 weeks of treatment, the patient demonstrated significant improvements in objective sleep quality and anxiety symptoms, while subjective insomnia perception and depressive symptoms remained partially unresolved. Notably, all clinical outcomes continued to improve to near-normal levels during the follow-up period without any additional intervention, and no adverse events were recorded. This case demonstrates that combined acupuncture and taVNS is a safe and effective intervention for chronic postpartum insomnia comorbid with emotional disorders, with a favorable sustained therapeutic effect after treatment cessation, offering a valuable alternative for non-pharmacological management in this population.