Reiki and the Evidence: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Why I Still Offer It.
As a registered midwife, I am trained to look at evidence critically.
I don't claim that Reiki cures illness or replaces medical treatment or even that it works miracles. What I know is from my own personal experience: at times of deep distress Reiki has been an anchor for me to help balance my mental and emotional health, it has given me a moment to pause, to gain clarity, to re-connect with myself, and when I finish a Reiki treatment I feel rested, I am able to think more clearly, more positively, and I am calmer.
I started receiving Reiki following my separation with my first husband. At that time I was in crisis mode, frankly, Reiki helped to stabilise my thoughts and feelings, enabling me to focus on my children’s needs, and all the difficult decisions that needed to be made at that time. I dipped in and out of receiving Reiki for a few years and then in 2016 I was diagnosed with cancer and returned to receiving regular sessions during my treatment. Reiki helped me so much through that difficult time, it allowed me to rest and sleep, it gave my brain space to make sense of what was going on with my body, and it put an end to the confusion, dark thoughts and the battles going on in my mind.
When I completed my treatment, I trained in Reiki 1, which allowed me to self-administer Reiki energy whenever I needed, but I still preferred to receive Reiki from a practitioner as the human connection made a big difference for me. A few years later following lockdown, I upgraded my qualification to Reiki 2 which then allowed me to provide this treatment for other people. This has given a great deal of satisfaction, being able to see people have that time to pause and just create that space for themselves. However there have been times where I have felt conflicted from my science and health background and this “mystical treatment”, and I know that other people can be hesitant in receiving Reiki treatments due to their scepticism, or even with conflicting beliefs.
So is Reiki “woo-woo” or is there some science to it?
The language around Reiki can be unusual, as words used such as “chakras”, “energy” or “auras” are commonly used. For some people this makes the treatment sound “woo-woo” or spiritual, and they immediately switch off. The scientific side of me understands the importance of evidence based healthcare and healthy scepticism and this is why we need a balanced discussion on the subject.
The research into Reiki is still evolving, but there is some recent, interesting, yet conflicting research around it; therefore more high-quality research needed. That doesn't mean to say that I'm going to dismiss Reiki as a valuable tool in my kit, it means I'm going to be honest about what we know and what we don't know.
I know that time and time again I see people leaving my sessions feeling more relaxed and better able to cope with their challenges, however Reiki for me will never replace medical advice. My personal experience with Reiki working alongside my chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, was that it was a massive help, emotionally and physically. It is a complementary therapy which works alongside conventional healthcare, and I don’t believe it will ever be an alternative to it.
What we know
Many people report benefits of Reiki, including relaxation, reduced stress and improved well-being overall, and there is strongest evidence lies. There is also evidence to suggest that Reiki helps with anxiety reduction, an improved sense of well-being, and for some people – changes with pain perception, therefore for some people Reiki can improve quality of life. There have been several recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses which have found these positive effects, although studies vary and larger trials are still needed.
People suffering with chronic stress, often have difficulty with sleeping, raised blood pressure, poor mental well-being, difficulty with behaviour change and pain perception. This group of people often spend very little time in a genuinely relaxed state. Research suggests that Reiki may help activate the relaxation response in the parasympathetic nervous system, this could explain some of the benefits people report. However, the exact mechanism of how this works remains unclear. The benefits shown for this group of people could come from “energy work” or it could be the therapeutic touch, the deep relaxation, the focused attention, the human connection, or a combination of all the factors. One thing remains clear is that people report feeling lighter and more relaxed after a Reiki session.
Some practitioners may make claims about Reiki that we don't have the science to support, such as that it may treat disease, cure illnesses or can replace medical treatment. For me personally these are claims I would never make.
Reiki, along with other complementary therapies, are excellent when used alongside medical treatments. For example, Cancer Research UK has written that there is no scientific evidence that Reiki can prevent treat or cure cancer although some people find it relaxing and helpful for well-being.
As I said earlier in this page, my personal experience of Reiki during cancer treatment was very beneficial, however I'm 100% aware that it is the surgery the chemotherapy and the radiotherapy that got me to being cancer free. Reiki helped me cope with all that and the emotional state following treatment. I believe the experience of deep relaxation, therapeutic touch and human connection, together with the time and space to pause had significant benefits for my physical and emotional well-being.
What Do I See In Practice
I have a very calming environment to start with; this invites the client to instantly relax and allow themselves that time and space. I've seen people fall asleep, sometimes they have an emotional release, they feel lighter and they tend to sleep better and often report having space to think clearly, allowing them to have better, focused, decision making when they're in a difficult time of their life.
I always reassure my clients that this is not a spiritual treatment therefore if it feels conflicted with their personal beliefs, they don't need to worry about that, although all belief systems are respected. As a practitioner I don't promise miracles what I do provide is a safe space where people can step away from the demands of daily life and allow their mind and body an opportunity to rest. My clients don't need to tell me what is troubling them, what is on their mind or what the reasons for needing Reiki are. They will, of course, be welcome to talk about it, but it's not a given.
Why I continue to offer this treatment
I offer this treatment under the evidence that it provides deep relaxation which activates part of the parasympathetic nervous system, this then reduces stress responses and has beneficial physiological effects. There is also the evidence that having time and space to pause can help with stress, anxiety, and an improved sense of well-being.
Conclusion
The science is still evolving around Reiki, and the evidence is mixed. Many people continue to report meaningful benefits, whether those benefits come from energy work, deep relaxation, therapeutic presence or a combination of factors, the outcome for many people is the same: they leave feeling calmer than when they arrived.
This treatment helped me immensely during very difficult times in my life, that is enough evidence for me to offer this treatment to others without any “spiritual” or “woo-woo” explanation. I have a “come as you are” approach, spiritual, scientific, whatever your beliefs, Reiki may help you feel calmer, more rested and better able to cope with life’s challenges.
References
Cancer Research UK (2025) Reiki. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/reiki (Accessed: 24 June 2026).
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014) Behaviour change: individual approaches (PH49). London: NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph49 (Accessed: 24 June 2026).
Oliveira, E.M., Alves, M.C., Ferreira, A.R. and colleagues (2024) Effects of Reiki therapy on anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11170819/ (Accessed: 24 June 2026).
Silva, R.S., Santos, F.L., Costa, M.P. and colleagues (2025) Effects of Reiki therapy on quality of life, stress, anxiety and fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11951753/ (Accessed: 24 June 2026).
