If life has taught you anything, it may be this: peace is a health goal.
Between careers, children, aging parents, relationships, changing hormones and the never-ending demands of modern life, many women reach midlife realizing that “just pushing through” isn’t a wellness strategy.
That’s one reason practices designed to help us slow down are having a moment.
Meditation. Breathwork. Sound baths. Massage. Acupuncture.Then there’s Reiki, an ancient Japanese wellness practice documented by U.S. government health officials.
If you’ve seen people lying quietly on a massage table while a practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above their body, you may have wondered: What exactly is happening here—and does it actually work?
Let’s glow through the science.
First: Reiki Isn’t Quite a Massage
This is an important distinction.
Reiki is a Japanese complementary health practice in which a practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above the body with the intention of facilitating a person’s healing response. It is based on the concept of using a person’s Qi, an energy field that practitioners believe supports the body’s natural healing abilities.
Unlike a traditional massage, the practitioner generally isn’t kneading muscles or manipulating joints.
And here’s where the science and spirituality conversation gets interesting.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says there is currently no scientific evidence establishing the existence of the energy field proposed by Reiki. It also says Reiki hasn’t been clearly demonstrated to be effective for any specific health condition. But, that’s like scientists saying they can’t prove you have a soul. It’s something a person just has a feeling and belief in. So the science-back proof, or lack thereof doesn’t necessarily mean people don’t experience Reiki as relaxing or meaningful.
So, What Could Reiki Do for You?
Think of Reiki as a possible complement to your health wellness routine, not a replacement for medical care.
Reiki has been used for anxiety, pain, stress, depression and beyond, although results have been inconsistent when researched, so Glow Girls should always get a medical doctor’s opinion before diving in to this or any new kind of wellness practice.
More recent research is somewhat encouraging but still preliminary. A 2026 systematic review examining Reiki among breast cancer patients found potential improvements in fatigue, comfort, quality of life and psychological well-being—but only four studies involving 339 participants met the review’s criteria, and the authors emphasized the need for larger, better-designed trials.
Another systematic review examining Reiki and cancer-related pain found that five of seven included studies reported reductions in pain, while two did not. The researchers concluded that more rigorous evidence is needed.
In other words:
Promising? Yes. Proven? Not yet.
Why Might a Mom, Busy Executive or the “Strong Friend” Be Interested?
Because sometimes what us Glow Girls are craving isn’t another supplement. It’s 20 minutes where nobody needs anything from us.
A Reiki session can provide a quiet environment in which you’re encouraged to lie down, breathe and become aware of your body. Even if the proposed energy mechanism hasn’t been scientifically established, relaxation itself has value. So, for women navigating midlife stress, that intentional pause can be meaningful.
Think of Reiki as potentially belonging in the same broad category as other complementary practices, like yoga or journaling. So, it’s something you might use alongside evidence-based healthcare to support your overall well-being.
What About When the Rainbow Isn’t Enuff?
There’s another dimension to this conversation that deserves attention. Black and Brown women don’t always experience healthcare spaces as places where we feel completely heard, understood or culturally comfortable. That makes finding wellness practices that provide a sense of agency and intentionality particularly appealing.
But we should also resist turning “natural” or “ancient” into automatic synonyms for “safe” or “effective.”
Women of color deserve both cultural respect and scientific rigor.
That’s the Glow approach.
We can appreciate a Japanese healing tradition without pretending science has proven every claim surrounding it — and we can be curious without being gullible.
How to Find a Reiki Practitioner
If you decide to try it, treat choosing a practitioner the way you would choosing any wellness professional.
Ask:
- What training have you completed?
- How long have you been practicing?
- What happens during a typical session?
- What do you charge?
- Do you make medical claims about Reiki?
A responsible practitioner should be comfortable describing Reiki as a complementary practice rather than promising medical miracles. But, a A practitioner who tells you Reiki will cure cancer, eliminate fibroids, reverse menopause or replace medication should be a red flag.
Your First Reiki Session: What to Expect
Expect something much quieter than a typical massage.
You may remain fully clothed while lying on a treatment table. The practitioner may place their hands gently on different areas of your body—or hold them slightly above you.
Some people report feeling warmth, tingling, relaxation or emotional release.
Others feel absolutely nothing.
Both experiences are okay.
You don’t have to have a spiritual experience for the session to be worthwhile.
The Glow Verdict
So, is Reiki for you?
Maybe.
If you’re curious, can afford it and understand that the evidence remains limited, Reiki may be worth exploring as a relaxation-centered complementary practice.
Just don’t confuse a beautiful wellness experience with medical treatment.
Because perhaps the most important lesson for women entering our 40s isn’t whether Reiki can magically heal us.
It’s learning that we’re allowed to slow down long enough to listen to ourselves.
You don’t have to earn rest.
You don’t have to be exhausted before you deserve care.
And you don’t have to choose between honoring ancient traditions and demanding modern evidence.
You can be curious. You can be discerning. You can be both.
That’s the glow.
Research Note
Glow Stream TV’s health coverage distinguishes between traditional or complementary wellness practices and scientifically established medical treatments. Current evidence does not establish Reiki’s proposed energy field or prove that Reiki treats a particular disease. Research into potential effects on pain, anxiety, stress and quality of life continues.
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CTA: Have you tried Reiki? Tell us about your experience—and share this with a Glow Girl who has been looking for a new way to slow down and reconnect with herself.
Editorial Note: Glow Girls are transparent, so we thought we’d let you know, AI assisted with the creation of this post.
