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Acupuncture and yoga may help seniors taper off benzodiazepines

NCT ID NCT06197243

Symptom relief Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This 12-week study tested whether combining acupuncture, yoga, and gradual medication reduction can help adults aged 65 and older lower their use of benzodiazepines (medications for anxiety and insomnia). Twenty-three participants received weekly acupuncture, private yoga classes, and medical supervision to taper their medication. Researchers measured changes in medication dose, sleep quality, and anxiety levels through surveys and focus groups.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
acupuncture and yoga
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to help older adults reduce their reliance on benzodiazepines for anxiety and insomnia.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early study with only 23 participants and no control group, so results may not apply widely. The benefits of acupuncture and yoga for deprescribing are not yet proven.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

23 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Dec 2023

Finished

May 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

65 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * 65 years and older * Taking benzodiazepines or related medications (i.e. zolpidem, zopiclone, eszopiclone, zaleplon) at least 4 times in the last month * English speaking * Ability to understand study procedures and to comply with them for the length of the study Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive impairment * Drinking more than 3 alcoholic beverages per day * Substance abuse disorder * Uncontrolled psychiatric disorder, such as major depression or psychosis * Inability or unwillingness of individual or legal guardian.representative to give written informed consent.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder insomnia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anxiety Benzodiazepine Deprescription Insomnia

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Osher Center for Integrative Health at Vanderbilt

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States

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