Electroacupuncture treatment of primary insomnia is widely used and with confirmed efficacy. The factors influencing the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture include waveform selection, treatment frequency, stimulation intensity, stimulation time and acupoint selection. The mechanism of electroacupuncture in treating this disease mainly includes regulating the levels of excitatory neurotransmitters, γ-aminobutyric acid, melatonin and interleukin cytokines.