Objective To investigate the mediating effect of nursing intervention of sleep hygiene on insomnia in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods One hundred and eighteen cirrhotic patients with grade-A liver function and insomnia treated between June 2012 and January 2015 were divided into control group (n=52) and intervention group (n=66) with random number table method. The control group received conventional nursing only, while the intervention group was given nursing intervention of sleep hygiene. The sleep quality of patients in the two groups on admission and discharge were surveyed and compared based on Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). The nursing effect was also compared between the two groups on discharge. Results There was no statistically significant difference in total score and scores for each factor of PSQI between the two groups of patients on admission (P>0.05). However, the total score and scores for each factor of PSQI on discharge in both groups were significantly lower than those on admission (P<0.05). Besides, the scores in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The effect of nursing in the intervention group was superior to that in the control group (P<0.001). Conclusions Nursing intervention of sleep hygiene can effectively improve sleep quality in cirrhotic patients with grade-A liver function. The role of nursing intervention in the treatment of insomnia should be taken seriously.