People left baffled by new ‘hanging’ cure for insomnia – it could prove deadly

By JOHN ELY DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 10:34 BST, 5 June 2025 | Updated: 10:38 BST, 5 June 2025

A new, potentially deadly insomnia hack which involves people hanging from belts in an attempt to get some decent shut eye has shocked social media users. 

In the clips, Chinese citizens are seen with their heads in a harnesses attached to fixed metal bars, as they swing back and forth or side to side for a few minutes.

This apparent cure for insomnia is based on a technique developed by a man named Sun Rongchun from Shenyang, a city in northeast China.

Mr Sun suffered from cervical spondylosis, age-related neck pain caused by bones in the spine wearing down over time, which also affected his sleep. 

He developed the neck harness and swinging technique to alleviate this pain by relieving pressure on the spine, with numerous videos claiming it combats insomnia.  

A clip shared on X— viewed over 11million times— states: ‘Those who try it claim their sleep problems have significantly improved.’

Some users posting under the clip claimed it was an example of cervical spine traction—a treatment where a pulling motion is applied on the neck to relieve pain and pressure.

However, other baffled commentators said it looked like a ‘way to sleep forever’. 

This apparent cure for insomnia is based on a technique developed by Sun Rongchun (pictured) from Shenyang, a city in northeast China 

Medics have also warned the technique is not backed by evidence as an insomnia aid and could even be fatal.

They cautioned that the cervical spine, the part of the backbone that forms the neck, isn’t designed to support a person’s full weight from a harness.

Doing so risks damaging the sensitive vertebrae and blood vessels in your neck, risking a stroke, nerve damage or even full paralysis. 

Chinese media have also reported deaths linked to the practice, with one man from Chongqing, in the country’s south east, reportedly dying while using a neck harness attached to a tree last year.  

Dr Siddhart Gautam, a neurosurgeon from Mumbai, told ndtv.com that while people who use the devices may experience a placebo effect, there no evidence it actually works to help insomnia. 

Fellow neurology expert Dr Manish Chhabria, also from Mumbai, agreed, stating the technique is dangerous and could even be deadly due to extreme pressure on the neck. 

More than 5million people in the UK are thought to suffer from chronic insomnia. 

This is defined as struggling to fall or stay asleep at least three nights a week for more than three months.

He developed the neck harness and swinging technique to alleviate this pain by relieving pressure on the spine, with numerous videos claiming it combats insomnia 

GPs are increasingly cautious about prescribing sleeping pills due to concerns about tolerance–where patients need higher doses to feel the same effect–and addiction. 

Long-term use of traditional sleeping pills has been linked to increased risks of dementia, falls and impaired concentration – which can be particularly dangerous when driving.

NHS guidelines instead recommend cognitive behavioural therapy, a form of psychotherapy, as the first-line treatment for the condition.

The health service recommends adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night on average. 

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People left baffled by new ‘hanging’ cure for insomnia – it could prove deadly

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