Hydrogen Therapy Improves Sleep Quality and Reduces Depression
- Authors
- Yu Hong Gao, Jun Chen, Hua Zhong, Qiang Zhao
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.4103/mgr.MEDGASRES-D-25-00020
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Sleep Disorders
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Breathing hydrogen-oxygen gas daily for a week helped people with sleep disorders sleep longer, wake less, and feel less depressed.
Key Finding
People who inhaled hydrogen-oxygen gas for seven days showed significant improvements in total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and reduced wake time compared to a control group, along with improvements in sleep quality and depressive symptoms.
Summary
This study tested whether breathing a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gas could help people with sleep problems. Sixty-six people with sleep disorders either received the hydrogen-oxygen gas treatment or a control treatment for seven days. The hydrogen-oxygen group showed improvements in how long they slept, how efficiently they slept, and how much time they spent awake. They also reported better overall sleep quality and fewer symptoms of depression compared to the control group.
Practical Takeaway
This small, short-term study suggests hydrogen-oxygen inhalation may help improve sleep in people with sleep disorders, but the results are preliminary. The study lasted only seven days and was conducted at specific hospitals in China, so more research in different populations and over longer periods would be needed before drawing firm conclusions about its real-world effectiveness.
Abstract
Sleep disorders are associated with various chronic diseases. While hydrogen has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antifibrotic effects and has potential applications in disease management, its impact on sleep disorders remains unclear. This single-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial from September 2022 to July 2023 at the Second Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital and the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College examined the effect of hydrogen-oxygen on sleep disorders. Sixty-six participants with sleep disorders were randomly divided into a control group and a hydrogen-oxygen group that received nasal gas inhalation for seven days. Sleep quality and mood were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. An Actiwatch helped evaluate the effects of two kinds of gas inhalation on total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and the wake time of patients with sleep disorders. The control group showed no significant changes in sleep parameters during treatment, whereas the hydrogen-oxygen group showed significant improvements in total sleep time and sleep efficiency on days 3, 5, and 7 and significant reductions in wake time on days 3 and 7. Compared with those in the control group, the total sleep time was greater and the wake time was lower in the hydrogen-oxygen group. After 7 days, the scores of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Self-Rating Depression Scale in the hydrogen-oxygen group were lower than those in the control group, whereas the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores did not differ significantly. Hydrogen-oxygen therapy effectively improved sleep disorders by reducing wake time, relieving psychological stress, and enhancing sleep quality. The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration No. ChiCTR2400084103).