Hydrogen Therapy Improves Sleep Quality and Reduces Depression
Effect of hydrogen-oxygen inhalation on sleep disorders and abnormal mood: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System · Respiratory System
- Evidence type
- Randomized controlled trial · Human study
- Authors
- Yu Hong Gao, Jun Chen, Hua Zhong, Qiang Zhao
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2026
- PMID
- 40826930
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 66
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- nasal gas inhalation for seven days
- H₂ concentration
- 66.7% hydrogen and 33.3% oxygen
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Funding
- Jinkai Instrument (Dalian) Co., Ltd.
- Conflicts of interest
- Jinkai Instrument (Dalian) Co., Ltd., which supplied the hydrogen-oxygen generator and was involved in data analysis, interpretation, and manuscript writing.
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 4 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
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 (excerpt)
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…