BackgroundSleep disorders not only impair nocturnal rest but also significantly compromise daytime functioning, emotional regulation, and overall mental well-being. Beyond conventional pharmacological treatments, manual therapy has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention. Specifically, emerging evidence suggests its benefits may extend to alleviating psychological distress and enhancing mood. This study employs a bibliometric approach to systematically investigate the current status, research hotspots, and future trends of manual therapy for sleep disorders, with an emphasis on its psycho-physiological outcomes.MethodsPublications related to manual therapy for sleep disorders were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometric visualizations and analyses were conducted using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Furthermore, clinical trial records from PubMed were extracted to assess the translational and clinical advancements in this field.ResultsThe analysis included 594 publications originating from 321 institutions across 63 countries. The overall trend demonstrates a consistent annual increase in both publication volume and citation impact, reflecting escalating academic interest. Keyword and literature co-occurrence analyses indicate that exploring neurobiological mechanisms and circadian rhythm regulation are the predominant research frontiers.ConclusionBibliometric evidence indicates that research on manual therapy for sleep disorders is evolving toward multidimensional and interdisciplinary integration. Manual therapy increasingly emerges as a key complementary treatment, exerting therapeutic effects via the regulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis (HPA axis). Its safety and efficacy represent distinct advantages; however, future clinical translation necessitates multi-center validation and standardized sham-controlled protocols.
Radically different