Abstract: patients with steady vital signs and affected by combined somnipathy at the early stage of stroke were divided into three groups according to the date of admission:the experimental group(Group E)and the control groups(Group C₁ and Group C₂).The rehabilitation programs to all patients are the same,except the somnipathy,(1) patients of Group E were adopted the method of acupuncture and moxibustion coupled with taping and pressing their ear acupuncture points to improve their quality of sleep,(2) patients of Group C₁ were asked to administer orally the traquilizers,and (3) no interference was conducted to the patients of Group C₂.After 8 weeks of treatment,it is found that,(1) the speed of recovery of the motor function of the patients of both Group E and Group C₁ is faster than that of Group C₂ (P<0.01).(2) The total sleeping hours of Group E is significantly compared with that of Group C₁(P<0.05).This shows that the long-term effects of the acupuncture therapy on sleep are superior to that of the tranquilizer.It suggests that the acupuncture therapy is an improtant method to treat the sequelae and syndrome of stroke.

Key words: acupuncture, stroke, somnipathy, motor function