A narrative review of the impact of reiki and therapeutic touch on sleep quality and health in women
Keywords:
Reiki, sleep quality, therapeutic touch, women’s healthAbstract
Aim: This review aimed to evaluate the application methods of energy therapies, specifically Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, their health effects, and their positive impact on sleep quality, particularly in women.
Results: Energy therapies are holistic approaches designed to restore energy balance and enhance overall health. Reiki, one such therapy, utilizes universal energy flow to promote physical, mental, and spiritual harmony. By balancing energy centers, Reiki helps alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression while being a generally safe practice with no reported side effects. Studies involving menopausal women suggest that Reiki improves sleep quality, reduces the time to fall asleep, and stabilizes sleep patterns. Therapeutic Touch focuses on sensing and balancing the body’s energy fields, operating on the principle that energy imbalances contribute to illness. Research indicates that Therapeutic Touch alleviates stress, fatigue, anxiety, and pain, while enhancing sleep quality, relaxation, and overall quality of life. Studies in menopausal women confirm its effectiveness in addressing sleep disturbances and promoting well-being.
Conclusion: Energy therapies like Reiki and Therapeutic Touch are low-cost, side-effect-free complementary practices suitable for both individual and clinical use. They demonstrate effectiveness in improving women’s physical and psychological health, enhancing sleep quality, and supporting overall well-being.
References
Arıkan, E., & Turan, G. B. (2024). The effects of Reiki application on sleep and quality of life in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 159, 109938.
Badakhsh, M., Dastras, M., Sarchahi, Z., Doostkami, M., Mir, A., & Bouya, S. (2021). Complementary and alternative medicine therapies and COVID-19: A systematic review. Reviews on Environmental Health, 36(3), 443–450.
Bağcı, H., & Çınar Yücel, Ş. (2020). Effect of therapeutic touch on sleep quality in elders living at nursing homes. Journal of Religion and Health, 59(3), 1304–1318.
Bondi, A., Morgan, T., & Fowler, S. B. (2021). Effects of Reiki on pain and anxiety in women hospitalized for obstetrical-and gynecological-related conditions. Journal of Holistic Nursing: Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, 39(1), 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010120936437
Çalışkan, M. A., & Cerit, B. (2021). Effect of therapeutic touch on sleep quality and anxiety in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A randomized controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 45, 101481.
Chaudhary, M., & Kumar, S. (2012). The effectiveness of reiki and accupressure on insomnia and depression. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 3(4), 411.
Coakley, A. B., & Barron, A.-M. (2012). Energy therapies in oncology nursing. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 28(1), 55–63.
Costa, J. R. da, Marcon, S. S., Nitschke, R. G., Santo, F. H. do E., Piexak, D. R., Oliveira, S. G., Goes, H. L. de F., & Soto, P. J. L. (2022). Reiki for promotion of health and sleep quality in hospital nursing professionals. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 75, e20210535.
Doğan, M. D. (2018). The effect of reiki on pain: A meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 31, 384–387.
Doğru, B. V., Utli, H., & Aykar, F. Ş. (2021). Effect of therapeutic touch on daytime sleepiness, stress and fatigue among students of nursing and midwifery: A randomized sham-controlled trial. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 43, 101322.
Dong, X., Shi, Z., Ding, M., & Yi, X. (2021). The effects of qigong for hypertension: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Evidence‐Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021(1), 5622631.
Gentile, D., Boselli, D., Yaguda, S., Greiner, R., & Bailey-Dorton, C. (2021). Pain improvement after healing touch and massage in breast cancer: An observational retrospective study. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, 14(1), 12.
Hauptmann, M., Kutschan, S., Hübner, J., & Dörfler, J. (2023). Bioenergy therapies as a complementary treatment: A systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of bioenergy therapies in relieving treatment toxicities in patients with cancer. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 149(6), 2607–2619.
Joyce, J., & Herbison, G. P. (2015). Reiki for depression and anxiety. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4.
Lipinski, K., & Van De Velde, J. (2020). Reiki: Defining a healing practice for nursing. Nursing Clinics, 55(4), 521–536.
Matos, L. C., Machado, J. P., Monteiro, F. J., & Greten, H. J. (2021). Perspectives, measurability and effects of non-contact biofield-based practices: A narrative review of quantitative research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12), 6397. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126397
Matourypour, P., Zare, Z., Mehrzad, V., Musarezaie, A., Dehghan, M., & Vanaki, Z. (2015). An investigation of the effects of therapeutic touch plan on acute chemotherapy-induced nausea in women with breast cancer in Isfahan, Iran, 2012–2013. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 4(1), 61.
NCCİH. (2015). Terms Related to Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/terms-related-to-complementary-and-integrative-health
Pinar, S. E., & Demirel, G. (2021). The effect of therapeutic touch on labour pain, anxiety and childbirth attitude: A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 41, 101255. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101255
Rao, A., Hickman, L. D., Sibbritt, D., Newton, P. J., & Phillips, J. L. (2016). Is energy healing an effective non-pharmacological therapy for improving symptom management of chronic illnesses? A systematic review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 25, 26–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.07.003
Rogers, L., Phillips, K., & Cooper, N. (2021). Energy healing therapies: A systematic review and critical appraisal. Health Psychology Review, 2(3), 162–170.
Roy, D., & Kar, S. K. (2019). Therapeutic Touch. Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham.
Satija, A., & Bhatnagar, S. (2017). Complementary therapies for symptom management in cancer patients. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 23(4), 468.
Stone, S. J. (2021). Energy Therapies in Nursing Practice: Effects, Barriers, and Limitations.
Ünal Aslan, K. S., & Çetinkaya, F. (2022). The effects of therapeutic touch on spiritual care and sleep quality in patients receiving palliative care. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58(1), 374–382.
Xie, F., Guan, C., Cheng, Z., Yao, F., & You, Y. (2020). Effects of the prolong life with nine turn method (Yan Nian Jiu Zhuan) Qigong on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Palliative Medicine, 9(5), 3571583–3573583.
Yalcinkaya, Ö., & Gozuyesil, E. (2024). The effect of therapeutic touch on sleep quality and fatigue in menopausal women. Explore, 20(2), 222–230.
Yeşil, F. H., & Bakar, D. L. (2024). Effect of Reiki application on menopausal symptoms. Explore, 20(5), 102993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2024.03.001
Zimpel, S. A., Torloni, M. R., Porfírio, G. J. M., Flumignan, R. L. G., & da Silva, E. M. K. (2020). Complementary and alternative therapies for post‐caesarean pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Cansu Ağralı
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
