Relaxation is our body’s way of rejuvenating. It allows time for our mind and body to repair. It has also been shown that relaxing improves our mood and improves brain function and memory. When we are relaxed we tend to make better decisions. We are less impulsive and able to be more rational and have better clarity.

There are several health benefits to relaxation as well. Relaxation lowers the risk for depression and anxiety, hypertension, heart attacks, and other heart-related problems. It can also boost our immunity and lower the risk for catching colds. If we are stress eaters, relaxation can keep away those unwanted pounds.

When working with clients or even talking with friends, the most common excuse for not relaxing is “I don’t have the time.” This is probably very true for a lot of people. However, if we don’t have time to relax, we have to make time to relax. A wise person once told me if I didn’t learn how to rest, my body would take a permanent rest for me. That was a nice wake-up call.

Relaxation can be incorporated into our daily schedules. It’s not always easy, but it can be done.

For starters, you may wish to start your day a little earlier. I’m a chronic “snooze-hitter” myself, but I find that if I wake up a few minutes earlier, I don’t have to rush through my morning routine. Instead of running out of the house with my hot cup of tea, I actually have time to sit and enjoy it.

You may also try having designated times just to relax, even if only for a few minutes. I try to schedule these during my workday. When I take my break, I make sure I take it away from all work and engage in something relaxing. We schedule other important aspects of our lives – why not relaxation?

Challenge yourself to have a least a few minutes every day to free your mind. I call this “Free Your Mind for Five.” You can do it longer if you wish, but I try to commit to at least five minutes. I’ve found it easiest to incorporate this into my daily commute home before picking up my daughter.

For at least five minutes I ride in silence. I don’t answer the phone or turn the radio on, and use that time to decompress. I try to use this time for mindfulness techniques such as focusing on my breathing. I also take the time to observe my surroundings, but only in traffic or at stoplights (it is important to be a safe driver).

When all else fails, I try to escape. I think we can all appreciate a nice vacation, but more often than not we associate vacations with taking a trip to a great destination. What if we can’t take a “real” vacation? Consider what I call mental and emotional vacations; simply getting away from negative thinking, negative emotions, stress, or overwhelming situations. Getting away can be as simple as changing your surroundings. This can be done by taking a walk outside. If you don’t have that luxury, escape to the bathroom – no one really ever questions that. If all else fails, visualize being somewhere else.

The benefits of relaxation are numerous. It’s healthy to indulge in some self-care from time to time. By learning to incorporate periods of relaxation throughout your day, you will find a healthier, happier you.

Scenario 3: You got comfortable, you fell asleep, you stayed asleep — mission accomplished. Your morning alarm goes off and now you just don’t feel rested. You’ve slept all night, but you’re still sleepy.

The above scenarios are common. But how well we sleep at night determines how well we feel and function the following day. It is vital not only to get a healthy amount of sleep, but to sleep well. With good sleep habits, we may be able to prevent some mental fogginess or the need for that morning pick-me-up, as well as avoid the mid-afternoon crash.

The first key to getting good sleep is finding out what works for you. This may require some experimenting on your part. There is no cure-all. We are all designed differently; therefore we all require different things.

It is equally important to find out how much sleep your body requires. Most research shows that the average adult needs 8 hours of sleep, but you may be able to function well with only six, while others may require 10.

Personally, even with some medically-based reasons for poor sleep, I have been able to improve matters by using some of the following tips and techniques:

1. Eating a healthy diet.

   Some of you may be wondering what eating well has to do with sleeping well. Well, as the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” Remember too that “what you eat may affect your sleep.” Avoid eating foods that may upset your stomach. No one likes stumbling to the bathroom in the dark; surely no one enjoys trying to sprint in the middle of the night, either. Avoid foods that may cause acid reflux or heartburn. Cut back on your liquids before bedtime to avoid these bathroom sprints as well.

   While you may enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner, you may want to make that your last glass for the night. Alcohol may make you fall asleep quickly, but it also causes sleep disturbances and may have you looking at the clock in frustration mid-morning. If you’re hungry or must have a bedtime snack, choose something high in protein and low in sugar. Resist the urge for the midnight chocolate cake and go for a healthier choice such as peanut butter, a protein bar, or a glass of milk.

2. Creating a relaxing environment.

   Remember, this is specific to you and may take some experimenting. I have learned that creating a relaxing environment starts long before I get into bed. It is important to wind down before making your way to the bedroom.

   Find something stress-free and relaxing to do and try to make it your nightly routine. Your brain will soon pick up on this habit and start telling your body it’s time to go to bed.Next, find your comfort noise level. Some people enjoy background noise, while others prefer quiet. Then, find a comfortable temperature. There is nothing worse than waking up because you are too hot or too cold. Lastly, get comfortable.

3. Leaving your stress, worries, and wonderings at the door.

   If you’re like me, you may suffer from the “I can’t seem to turn my brain off” syndrome. I lay down and think I’m going to relax and find myself thinking of things I didn’t get done, making a to-do list for the next day, or wondering why certain colors don’t seem to match, or how animals got their names.

   I have found that this is where guided meditation and relaxation works for me. I have been fortunate enough to download a few on my phone and they seem to work. If you can’t download apps to your phone or another device, look for meditation CD’s. I have found some pretty good ones at the local library and those are always free. Even on the nights where I can’t quite meditate I may start to wonder “why does this guy’s voice sound so strange” and it still takes my mind off other things. Soon, I’m asleep.

If you wake up, don’t think about going back to sleep. I’m sure it sounds weird, but it works. I went through a period where I woke up every morning at 2:33 a.m. I would wake up and not even have to look at the clock because I already knew the time. This was later determined to be due to some hormonal issues, but it was frustrating nonetheless. I found myself looking at the clock and thinking “I have to go back to sleep.” I didn’t realize I was actually creating more anxiety for myself and making it more difficult to go back to sleep.

I’ve learned to go back to my guided meditations or to just lay and be aware of how my body is feeling. If I find that I absolutely cannot go back to sleep after 10-15 minutes I get up. Avoid stimulating activities or bright lights if possible. On nights like this I try to enjoy some warm tea, a light snack, then get back and bed and try to relax again.

Sleep disturbances can be caused by a variety of issues. If you try various techniques and still have frequent or persistent problems falling asleep or staying asleep you should seek medical attention. Sleep disturbances can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

Interruptions in sleep caused by loud snoring or pauses in breathing can be symptoms of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a treatable condition, but can be fatal. Falling asleep at inappropriate times could be a sign of narcolepsy or other disorder. You may also wish to contact your physician if you continue to wake up and do not feel rested, have strange body sensations or movements while lying down, experience sleep paralysis, frequent vivid dreams or sleep walking.

Again, there are no quick fixes for sleep issues. It takes some time and work to figure out what works best for you, but once you find a routine that works, stick with it. If you find that after some time it no longer works, change it up. Our bodies and their needs change, so we have to be ready to adapt. Here’s to happy sleeping!

According to the International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP), “Reiki is [a] subtle and effective form of energy healing using spiritually guided life force energy… [p]racticed in every country of the world.” While often considered to be spiritual in nature, Reiki is not “[a]ffiliated with any particular religion or religious practice.”

Reiki is increasingly offered in hospital, hospice, and private practice settings, applied to a variety of illnesses and conditions. Those who receive such treatments report relief of symptoms from numerous health challenges, including mental health issues. Research shows that reiki primarily helps in the reduction of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as relief of chronic pain — the last of which can bring on anxiety and depression, or make episodes worse.

Many Studies, Varying Quality

There are now sufficient peer-reviewed, published research results available to begin to sort out Reiki’s effectiveness in various areas. The Center for Reiki Research has intensively examined a group of them through their “Touchstone Process,” “…a uniquely rigorous peer review method for analyzing a group of scientific studies” [using Reiki]. Its end product is a set of critical summaries derived from an impartial and consistent process…. [T]he process incorporates existing best practices for scientific review…” (CRR)

This process looks at all aspects of the study design and how each investigation was actually carried out. Results are analyzed, and study strengths and weaknesses are determined. The Touchstone Process has produced a group of nearly three dozen carefully analyzed studies. The CRR draws some conclusions about Reiki’s effectiveness from only the studies they have examined that they judge to be of at least satisfactory or better quality. (CRR)

In addition to the CRR/Touchstone studies, a varied body of research on Reiki demonstrates its effect on mental health. For example, Joe Potter, a Reiki Master in the United Kingdom, has been conducting an ongoing investigation into Reiki’s effectiveness. An online search in PubMed lists dozens of studies involving Reiki or other healing touch methods, investigating a broad range of conditions in many different populations.

Some investigations were conducted on animals, which helps eliminate some questions of bias and design control among Reiki recipients. Some studies used “sham” Reiki as a form of control (nonpractitioners administered a “Reiki-like” treatment), and others involved distance Reiki (Reiki delivered from too far away to permit touch). Each of these variables lends something importing to understanding the efficacy of the treatment itself.

Demonstrated Effects on Stress, Depression, Anxiety and Pain

Potter reports that “[s]tress was the most common word written by clients as a description or part description of their condition during their first session. Here 20.27% of the total client group treated used this word on their initial visit for Reiki treatment….” In animal studies, Reiki treatment produced clear signs of reduced stress as indicated by changes in autonomic, biological measurements such as heart rate (Baldwin, Wagers and Schwartz, 2008) and certain cellular signs of stress-related damage (Baldwin and Schwartz, 2006). In a study of nurses with “burn out syndrome,” biological indicators of a significant relaxation response were found as a result of Reiki treatment (Diaz-Rodriguez et al., 2011). When nurses administered Reiki to a group of patients with acute coronary syndrome, physiologic indicators of a significant relaxation effect were recorded. (Friedman et al., 2011)

Shore (2004) followed patients being treated for mild depression and stress. After six weeks of treatment and for up to a year afterward, those who had received Reiki showed both immediate and long-term improvements in depression, stress and hopelessness. In a small study, complete elimination of typical postoperative depression was seen in heart surgery patients given Reiki during surgery (Motz, 1998).

Pain often causes depression and anxiety. Reducing difficult-to-treat chronic pain can have a substantial effect on psychological well-being. Some studies have found Reiki to be effective for pain, anxiety and depression relief. However, their design or conclusions are unclear as to whether Reiki’s emotional benefits were a result of pain reduction or a separate phenomenon. Nonetheless, research demonstrated Reiki’s positive results for both pain and anxiety or depression.

Dressing and Sing (1998) found that among cancer patients, Reiki brought about significant levels of pain relief, anxiety and depression reduction, improvements in sleep quality, relaxation and general well-being. This effect was stronger in men than women. These benefits remained when checked after three months. Among abdominal hysterectomy patients, Reiki helped reduce pain and anxiety, particularly in a preoperative setting (Vitale and O’Conner, 1998).

Investigating Effects of Gentle Touch, Distance

Research shows that gentle touch in a safe environment aids stress reduction and pain relief (for example, Weze et al., 2005). Since Reiki generally involves a similar type of touch, the results of Reiki studies often can be confounded by the known impact of gentle touch vs. the effects of Reiki itself. Studies that include sham Reiki treatment groups, as well as those that involve a distance Reiki group, have been important to help sort out the relative effects of Reiki versus gentle touch – or even the effects of the presence of a “therapist,” real or sham.

Reiki is becoming an increasingly accepted presence in hospitals and clinics. (The Center for Reiki Research website lists 70 institutions at the time of this article that include Reiki in their offerings.) It is seen as an effective and cost-reducing method to improve health outcomes and quality of care. Hospital staff, such as physicians and nurses, are adding Reiki treatments to their work. Scientific validation of Reiki’s effectiveness have helped bring this method to the mainstream, where it is able to aid patients in all realms, including those with mental health challenges.

References

Baldwin, A. L.. Reiki, the Scientific Evidence. (Fall, 2011). pp. 29-31.

Baldwin, A.L., Schwartz, G.E. (2006). Personal Interaction with a Reiki Practitioner Decreases Noise-Induced Microvascular Damage in an Animal Model. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 12(1):15–22, 2006. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Baldwin, A.L., Wagers, C. and Schwartz, G.E. (2008). Reiki improves heart rate homeostasis in laboratory rats. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14 (4): 417-422. Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Center for Reiki Research (CRR). Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

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 June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

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.

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.

International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP). Definition of Reiki. Retrieved June 22, 2012, from http://www.iarpreiki.org/

Motz, J. (1998). Hands of Life. New York: Bantam Books.

Potter, Joe, Research Report, Introduction and General Findings. Retrieved July 21, 2012 from http://www.reiki-research.co.uk/

PubMed. Retrieved July 24, 2012 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Shore, A.G. (2004). Long term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 10(3):42-48.

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/

Weze C, Leathard H.L., Grange J, Tiplady P, Stevens G. (January, 2005). Evaluation of healing by gentle touch. Public Health. 119(1):3-10.

It’s not. Research has shown that Reiki (pronounced RAY-key) healing can be effective in addressing a number of the challenges dementia patients and their caregivers face every day. Scientific validation of Reiki’s effectiveness comes from numerous studies examining a variety of types of people, problems and settings. This type of solid research has helped bring Reiki into the mainstream.

Reiki, Mild Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Impairment

Reiki and other touch and energy therapies significantly aid dementia patients and their caregivers in several areas. One is an indication from published, peer-reviewed research that Reiki can help people with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s.

In one experiment, one group of patients received four weeks of Reiki treatments; a control group received none. The Reiki recipients showed statistically significant increases in mental functioning, memory and behavior after Reiki treatment. (Crawford, Leaver and Mahoney, 2006). Caregivers can administer Reiki at little or no cost, potentially reducing the need for medication and hospitalization (Crawford, Leaver, and Mahoney, 2006).

Reiki May Reduce Stress, Depression and Anxiety

“Stress” most often is mentioned by those seeking Reiki treatments (Potter). Dementia is extremely stressful, and anxiety and depression often coincide. Several studies have found Reiki provides biological indications of significant stress reduction, as well as a relaxation response (Baldwin, Wagers and Schwartz, 2008; Baldwin and Schwartz, 2006; Friedman et al., 2011, others).

Research shows that Reiki also can help reduce depression and anxiety among people with chronic illnesses (Dressin and Singg, 1998). Both hands-on and distance Reiki (the latter performed nonlocally, without touch) were found to reduce depression significantly. Effects lasted up to a year post-treatment (Shore, 2004).

Chronic or periodic pain-inducing illnesses can co-occur in dementia patients. As their dementia progresses, it can become impossible for the patient to verbalize their pain. Instead, they may become agitated, withdrawn, aggressive, depressed, anxious, or show some sort of “difficult behavior.” Caregivers must figure out that the behavioral change results from untreated physical pain, and then find the painful site and address it. Since Reiki has been shown to reduce pain, dementia patients with pain who undergo treatment might have both disorders addressed simultaneously. (Dressin and Singg, 1998; Birocco, et al., 2011; Richeson, Spross, Lutz and Peng, 2010; others).

Reiki treatment often results in a state of calm relaxation (Richeson, Spross, Lutz and Peng, 2010; others). Whether pain or some other issue caused their agitation, Reiki can help calm down dementia patients and make dealing with them easier for all involved in their care.

Reiki Also Helps Caregiver Burnout

The Reiki studies reviewed above apply to caregivers as well as patients. The Family Caregiver Alliance reports in general that “…20% of family caregivers suffer from depression, twice the rate of the general population.” When it comes specifically to dementia caregivers, “…41% of former caregivers of a spouse with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia experienced mild to severe depression up to three years after their spouse had died. In general, women caregivers experience depression at a higher rate than men.” Covinsky, et al. (2003) report the number with depression to be one-third of primary caregivers during the period while they are caring for their loved ones with dementia.

Nurses are an excellent group to study when it comes to caregiver burnout and Reiki. Many nurses have added Reiki to their skills, and they are a population prone to burnout and compassion fatigue. Studies involving nurses’ self-care have demonstrated that Reiki can help prevent and heal caregiver stress and overwhelm. Nurses who practiced Reiki on themselves reported that they choose to do so for daily stress management and self-healing, among other reasons (Vitale, 2009). Perceived stress was also significantly reduced among nurses learning Reiki, though less so if they did not practice self-help Reiki during the study (Cuneo, 2011). In a study of nurses with “burnout syndrome,” Reiki was found to provide a significant relaxation response (Diaz-Rodriguez, et al., 2011).

It can be challenging to return to warm, caring feelings following caregiver burnout. Brathovde (2006) and Whelan and Wishnia (2003) reported increased self-satisfaction with nurses’ work, and a returned ability to feel caring toward others after the nurses had received Reiki training and used it on both themselves and others.

Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias cannot be cured. People live for many years with the disease, which takes a huge toll both on them and their caregivers. As many effective tools as possible are needed to help manage ADRD and improve quality of life for everyone involved. Empowering family and professional dementia caregivers with Reiki skills can help meet many needs. For both patients and caregivers alike, calmness, improved moods, increased memory capability, reduced pain, and healing from caregiver burnout can be the help so many have been waiting for.

References

Baldwin, A.L., Schwartz, G.E. (2006). Personal Interaction with a Reiki Practitioner Decreases Noise-Induced Microvascular Damage in an Animal Model. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 12(1):15–22, 2006. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Baldwin, A.L., Wagers, C. and Schwartz, G.E. (2008). Reiki improves heart rate homeostasis in laboratory rats. Journal of Alternative and Complementary

Birocco, N., Guillame, C., Storto, S., Ritorto, G., Catino, C. et al. The effects of Reiki therapy on pain and selected affective and personality variables of chronically ill patients. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Published online 13 October 2011 DOI: 10.1177/1049909111420859. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Brathovde, A. A pilot study: Reiki for self-care of nurses and healthcare providers. Holistic Nursing, 20(2): 95-101, 2006. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Covinsky, K. E., Newcomer, R., Fox, P., Wood, J., Sands, L., Dane, K., Yaffee, K. (December, 2003). Patient and caregiver characteristics associated with depression in caregivers of patients with dementia. J Gen Intern Med 18(12): 1006–1014. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2003.30103.x PMCID: PMC1494966 In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from PubMed.com.

Crawford, S. E., Leaver, V. W., Mahoney, S. D. Using Reiki to decrease memory and behavior problems in mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer’s disease. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 12(9), 911-913, 2006. Retrieved July 28, 2012 from PubMed.com.

Cuneo, C.L., Curtis Cooper, M.R., Drew, C.S., Naoum-Heffernan, C., Sherman, T., Walz, K., Weinberg, J. The Effect of Reiki on Work- Related Stress of the Registered Nurse. Journal of Holistic Nursing. 29(1): 33-43, 2011. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

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 June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Dressin, L.J., Singg, S. Effects of Reiki on pain and selected affective and personality variables of chronically ill patients. Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine, 9(1):53-82, 1998. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Family Caregiver Alliance. (Fall, 2002) Retrieved July 28, 2012 from http://www.caregiver.org/.

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. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Potter, Joe, Research Report, Introduction and General Findings. Retrieved July 21, 2012 from http://www.reiki-research.co.uk/

Richeson, N. E., Spross, J. A., Lutz, K. and Peng, C. Effects of Reiki on anxiety, depression, pain, and physiological factors in community-dwelling older adults. Research in Gerontological Nursing, 3(3): 187-199, 2010. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Shore, A.G., Long term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 10(3), 42-48, 2004. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

Vitale, A.T. Nurses’ Lived Experience of Reiki for Self Care. Holistic Nursing Practice, 23(3): 129-145, 2009. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/

to a nurse/Reiki practitioner. Holistic Nursing Practice, 17(4):209-217, 2003. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/