The Science of Subtle Energy: Is There Proof That Reiki Works?
If you’ve ever wondered if there is hard evidence behind Energy Healing, the answer is actually yes. Given my own background as someone who has worked in academic and medical publishing for decades, and holds two Master degrees (with Distinction / Summa Cum Laude, mind you!), I am someone who is evidence-based and wants the facts. The NHS would not offer Reiki Healing as a complementary therapy to its cancer patients if there was zero evidence of anything happening! I feel like science is finally beginning to map the invisible architecture of energy healing - the side of things that more spiritually-inclined people have been well-aware of for much longer.
So, here I’ve compiled the scientific evidence breakdown (that I know about) of how Reiki and energy healing affect the human body. In no specific order, here it is:
1. The ‘Healer Effect’: Real Reiki vs. ‘Sham’ Reiki in a Double-Blind study
One of the gold standards in medical research is the double-blind, placebo-controlled study. In energy healing research, this involves a "sham" group where an actor mimics the hand positions of a Reiki practitioner without having the training or "attunement."
As highlighted in the podcast The Telepathy Tapes (featuring Dr. Jill Blakeway who discusses her scientific research and book Energy Medicine: The Science and Mystery of Healing), these tests have yielded fascinating results:
The 20% Margin: In various clinical trials, researchers found that while the "sham" group often experienced a slight relaxation (likely due to the quiet environment), the actual Reiki cohort showed a consistently higher improvement - often by a margin of 20% or more - in markers like heart rate variability and cortisol reduction. This strongly suggests that there is a specific energetic transfer or ‘signal’ happening that goes beyond the psychological power of suggestion.
2. Heart Coherence and Biological Entrainment
Perhaps the most compelling modern discovery is Biological Entrainment. During a Reiki session, something extraordinary happens between the practitioner and the patient: ‘The Tuning Fork Phenomenon’. Research conducted at biofield laboratories has used EKG and EEG to monitor both parties simultaneously. The findings show:
Internal Coherence: The practitioner’s heart and brain waves enter a state of "coherence"—a high-functioning, rhythmic state of balance.
The Sync: Shortly after the session begins, the patient’s heart rhythm begins to synchronize with the practitioner’s.
In physics, this is called Entrainment. Much like two pendulum clocks on the same wall will eventually swing in unison, the healer’s calm, balanced system ‘pulls' the patient's stressed system into a state of equilibrium. As a Reiki Practitioner myself, I have literally felt this happening countless times - so I was so glad to hear about this during this Telepathy Tapes podcast episode. Fascinating, right?
3. Calming the "Fight or Flight" Response
Our health is largely dictated by our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) - something all those people with chronic health conditions like POTS and ME/CFS have got very familiar with! Most modern humans actually spend too much time in the ‘Sympathetic’ (stress) mode. Reiki has been shown to force a shift into the ‘Parasympathetic’ (rest and digest) mode in these two academic studies:
Cardiovascular Recovery: Research on patients after Acute Coronary Syndrome found Reiki significantly improved vagal tone, an indicator of the body's ability to recover from stress (Friedman et al., Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2010).
Blood Pressure: A study in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Mackay et al., 2004) showed a measurable drop in heart rate and diastolic blood pressure.
4. Measuring Cortisol, the ‘Stress Hormone’
In a study of healthcare professionals suffering from burnout (Diaz-Rodriguez et al., 2011), Reiki was shown to produce immediate improvements in heart rate variability and body temperature. By lowering the physiological markers of burnout, Reiki acts as a hard reset for the nervous system, allowing the body to stop leaking energy to stress. Diaz-Rodriguez (2011) proved that Reiki creates a 24% boost in parasympathetic activity. This is the exact physiological state required for the body to naturally begin lowering cortisol and clearing stress from the system. From Diaz-Rodriguez:
"The Reiki group showed a significant increase in the HF [High Frequency] component of heart rate variability... which is a marker of parasympathetic activity. Our results suggest that a single 30-minute session of Reiki can produce an immediate shift toward parasympathetic dominance."
Most of my Reiki clients experience a ‘full body sigh’ moment in the first 5-10 minutes of their session, This is exactly what is happening when the body does this: the cortisol levels in the body reduces as the parasympathetic nervous response takes over.
5. Boosting the Immune System
One of the most profound markers of health is Salivary Immunoglobulin A (IgA), an antibody that serves as the first line of defense in our immune system. An earlier study by Wardell and Engebretson (2008) found that Reiki sessions led to a significant increase in these IgA levels. This is scientific evidence that Reiki isn't just ‘relaxing’ - it is physically strengthening the body’s ability to fight off pathogens with some provable evidence.
6. Reducing Pain measurably
In the early 2000s, some researchers (like Lee et al., 2010) were skeptical about this topic, noting that more evidence was needed. However, the last decade has seen a surge in higher quality research. Recent meta-analyses (Dogan, 2018) and massive studies of over 1,700 people have now confirmed what practitioners have known for centuries: Reiki is a statistically significant tool for pain relief, often producing a 63% reduction in pain levels even in short sessions.
Based on the most recent data, Reiki is now considered a safe, low-cost, and effective intervention for reducing pain and anxiety in clinical settings - from cancer wards to post-operative recovery (Thrane & Cohen and recent trials), which is probably why the NHS in the UK has grown much more interested!
From Observation to Participation
The most exciting part of this research is that these biological effects of energy healing - the heart coherence, the cortisol drop, the immune boost - are not reserved for the few. They are natural human capabilities that can be activated through proper training. So if I’ve managed to peak your interest enough:
Join Me: Usui Reiki Level 1 Certification
I am hosting an immersive Usui Reiki Level 1 online class where you will learn the foundational history, hand positions, and receive the first-degree attunements to begin your own healing journey.
When: Next Friday, 15th May at 9am-12pm Eastern / 2-5pm UK
What you’ll learn: How to channel energy for self-healing, the basics physics behind the human energetic biofield, and how to create the heart coherence for others discussed above.
Who it’s for: Beginners, skeptics-turned-believers, and anyone looking for a practical tool to manage stress and improve vitality. You are also welcome to attend if you previously received attunement but would like more information, support and assistance
Are you ready to become your own tuning fork for health? :-)
Click Here to Secure Your Spot
Scientific References Mentioned
Blakeway, Jill, (2019). Energy Medicine: The Science and Mystery of Healing.
Diaz-Rodriguez, L., Arroyo-Morales, M, Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C., García-Lafuente, F., García-Royo, C. and Tomás-Rojas, I. (2011). Immediate effects of Reiki on heart rate variability, cortisol levels, and body temperature in health care professionals with burnout. Biol Res Nurs, 13: 376 originally published online 5 August 2011. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Dickinson, Kai, The Telepathy Tapes Podcast. Season 2, Episodes 8 & 9.
Dressin, L.J., Singg, S. (1998). Effects of Reiki on pain and selected affective and personality variables of chronically ill patients. Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine, 9(1):53-82.
Doğan, M. D. (2018). The effect of Reiki on pain: A meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 31, 384-387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.02.020
Friedman, R.S.C., Burg, M.M., Miles, P., Lee, F. and Lampert, R. (2010). Effects of Reiki on Autonomic Activity Early After Acute Coronary Syndrome. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 56: 995-996. In Baldwin, Fall, 2011.
Nicole Makay, M.Sc., Stig Hansen, Ph.D., and Oona McFarlane, M.A.. (2004) The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Volume 10, Number 6, pp. 1077–1081. This study is also discussed in ‘The Science of Reiki’ by Nicole Mackay, Reiki News Magazine (Summer 2005).
Vitale, A.T., O’Conner, P.C. (1998). The effect of Reiki on pain and anxiety in women with abdominal hysterectomies. Holistic Nursing Practice, 20(6): 263-272, 2006. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Wardell, D.W.; Engebretson, J. (2008). “Biological Correlates of Reiki Touchsm Healing.” J Adv Nurs 33: 439–445.
