About Us

We're the creators of BetterSleep, a leading wellness app helping over 60 million people around the globe sleep better.

We’re on a mission to help people around the world live a happier, healthier life, through expert-led meditations, sleep stories, brainwaves and more.

Share article
What is Reiki?
wellness
What is Reiki?
by BetterSleep
5 min read
Share article

Reiki is an energy healing practice with benefits ranging from pain relief to reduced anxiety and improved sleep. As a complementary and alternative practice, Reiki makes a good addition to regular medical and therapeutic treatment. If you plan to try it, find a trained and experienced practitioner.

About Reiki Healing

Originally developed by Dr. Mikao Usui in the early 1900s, reiki originated as a healing practice in Japan. The term reiki comes from the Japanese words for universal and energy. This is the energy that many believe flows through all living things.

A Reiki practitioner uses their hands to transmit energy to the recipient. Unlike massage and touch therapies, there is no real pressure involved. The practitioner may touch the body or move their hands over it. The idea is that patients receive as much energy as they need for healing.

Benefits of Reiki

Several modern studies have found that Reiki has some benefits, but the amount of research is limited. There are, however, no risks to trying Reiki, so you might want to find a practitioner to get some of the reported benefits:

  • Reiki canreduce anxiety and pain, including in cancer patients, undergoing physical therapy, or following labor and delivery.
  • It can also help patients manage depression as part of ongoing treatment. Reiki seems to lift the mood, increase relaxation, and improve overall well-being.
  • People with specific symptoms find some relief from Reiki. These include headaches, insomnia, and nausea.
  • Many people report feeling more relaxed, secure, and peaceful during and after a Reiki session.
Post imagePost image

What to Expect During a Reiki Session

During a session, the practitioner will have you lie on a massage table, fully clothed. They might put on some reiki healing music, or not as you prefer. They will place their hands on you or just over you in specific energy centers.

There are about 15 different positions used in Reiki practice. How long the practitioner remains in one spot depends on your needs and how they feel the energy flowing to you. You might feel some tingling or heat where they place their hands, but some people report feeling nothing. The session will last 30 to 60 minutes.

Using Reiki

Reiki is a complementary therapy. It complements therapy and medical treatment for physical conditions and mental health symptoms. You can use it to relieve symptoms and overall wellness.

To get the benefits of Reiki, you need a trained practitioner. However, you can use the concepts on your own to improve wellness and mood. A Reiki meditation, for instance, with Reiki music that matches the energy you hope to harness, can be beneficial. Use your own hands on your body to stimulate the healing you want.

Share article

Related posts

The Importance of Sleep
sleep / wellness
The Importance of Sleep
by BetterSleep
8 min read
Benefits of Meditating in the Morning
wellness
Benefits of Meditating in the Morning
by BetterSleep
10 min read
Best Teas for Sleep
sleep / wellness
Best Teas for Sleep
by BetterSleep
10 min read
Why We Like Background Noise
wellness
Why We Like Background Noise
by BetterSleep
11 min read
What is Box Breathing?
wellness / mental health
What is Box Breathing?
by BetterSleep
6 min read
What Are Soundscapes?
wellness / mental health
What Are Soundscapes?
by BetterSleep
5 min read
Walking Meditation: How to Meditate While Walking
wellness
Walking Meditation: How to Meditate While Walking
by BetterSleep
8 min read
Coffee Naps: What Are They and Do They Work?
sleep / wellness
Coffee Naps: What Are They and Do They Work?
by BetterSleep
5 min read
Relaxing Nature Music
wellness
Relaxing Nature Music
by BetterSleep
4 min read
Music Is Good for the Brain
wellness / mental health
Music Is Good for the Brain
by BetterSleep
8 min read

Top 10 posts

From Stress to Success: How to Manage Back-to-School Anxiety
wellness / mental health
From Stress to Success: How to Manage Back-to-School Anxiety
by BetterSleep
5 min read
Behind the Scenes: Pride 2024 at BetterSleep with Collin Martin
lifestyle / news
Behind the Scenes: Pride 2024 at BetterSleep with Collin Martin
by Scott Yim
4 min read
Waking Up to Injustice: The Intersection of Racism, Sleep Deprivation, and Black History
news / mental health
Waking Up to Injustice: The Intersection of Racism, Sleep Deprivation, and Black History
by BetterSleep
8 min read
Sleep Paralysis Explained
sleep
Sleep Paralysis Explained
by BetterSleep
10 min read
How to Cope with Holiday Depression and Stress
mental health / wellness
How to Cope with Holiday Depression and Stress
by BetterSleep
5 min read
Have a Healthy Holiday Season
news / wellness
Have a Healthy Holiday Season
by BetterSleep
5 min read
Mindful Listening
lifestyle / mental health
Mindful Listening
by BetterSleep
6 min read
Sleep Hypnosis Apps: A Guide to Self-Hypnosis
sleep
Sleep Hypnosis Apps: A Guide to Self-Hypnosis
by BetterSleep
7 min read
Calming Foods for Anxiety
wellness / mental health
Calming Foods for Anxiety
by BetterSleep
8 min read
Brown Noise
sleep / wellness
Brown Noise
by BetterSleep
4 min read