To explore the sedative and hypnotic effects of agarwood extract on PCPA (P-chlorophenylalanine, PCPA) - induced insomnia rats. Ninety SD rats were selected, 10 were used as the blank group, and the remaining 80 rats were used to establish insomnia rat models. They were divided into model group, agarwood volatile oil high-dose group, agarwood volatile oil low-dose group, agarwood alcohol extract high-dose group, and agarwood alcohol the low-dose extract group, the high-dose group of water extract of agarwood group, the low-dose group of water extract of agarwood group, and the diazepam group. Hypothalamic serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu) content and GABAARα1, GABAARγ2, 5-HT1A relative expression of body mRNA were observed. After 6 days of administration, the 5-HT contents of hypothalamus in the high-dose volatile oil group, low-dose volatile oil group, high-dose alcohol extract group, and low-dose alcohol extract group were 4.85 ng/mL, 4.84 ng/mL, 4.81 ng/mL, 4.49 ng/mL, respectively. GABA contents were 1.46 ng/mL, 1.44 ng/mL, 1.41 ng/mL, 1.39 ng/mL, respectively, which were higher than the model group (p<0.05). The relative expression levels of GABAARα1 mRNA in the high-dose volatile oil group, low-dose volatile oil group, and high-dose alcohol extract group were 0.94, 0.84, 0.85, respectively, all of them were higher than the model group (p<0.05). The relative expression of GABAARγ2 mRNA were 0.74, 0.70, 0.73, respectively, and the relative expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA were 0.81, 0.79, 0.74, respectively, all of them were higher than the model group (p<0.05). Agarwood extract has a certain sedative and hypnotic effect on PCPA-induced insomnia rats.