The majority of the articles analyzed in this review found that Reiki or therapeutic touch significantly reduced stress, burnout, and fatigue in students and healthcare personnel. Two studies did not demonstrate statistically significant improvements, and one article [22], which was not a true research study, could not be evaluated for significance. Nonetheless, the journal reflections in that article indicated that students reported reduced stress after utilizing therapeutic touch.

Stress, burnout, and fatigue are closely interconnected constructs that frequently arise in students and healthcare professionals due to the demanding nature of their work and training [27]. Prolonged exposure to academic or clinical stressors can lead to emotional exhaustion and eventual burnout, which is characterized by marked depersonalization, a diminished sense of personal accomplishment, and persistent fatigue [27]. Fatigue can both result from and perpetuate ongoing stress, contributing to reduced performance, impaired well-being, and emotional disengagement. The high prevalence of these conditions in healthcare environments highlights the need for accessible, low-risk interventions that address both the physiological and psychological dimensions of stress. Reiki and other therapeutic touch modalities are believed to stimulate the body’s relaxation response and promote emotional regulation. These interventions may help interrupt the cycle of chronic stress and reduce symptoms of burnout by providing calming, supportive experiences [12].

While all the included studies focused on energy-based or therapeutic touch interventions, they varied in their specific approaches and methodologies. Some examined traditional Reiki performed by certified practitioners [19, 20], while others assessed self-administered Reiki [21, 23] or related techniques such as therapeutic touch, healing touch, or self-guided energy healing [17, 22, 24]. Though these techniques differ in delivery and style, they share fundamental principles of intentional touch or energy transfer aimed at healing. This thematic overlap justifies their inclusion within a unified review but also introduces variability in outcomes. The mechanisms through which these interventions may operate—such as inducing relaxation, increasing focused attention, providing comforting physical contact, or offering perceived emotional support—likely differ depending on whether the therapy is self-administered or practitioner-administered and based on whether or not physical contact is involved.

Additionally, therapeutic efficacy may be influenced by individual factors such as previous exposure to Reiki, level of receptivity, or personal belief in the therapy. In some studies, sham Reiki and active controls (e.g., deep breathing) led to modest improvements [20, 24], suggesting that therapeutic context and participant expectations may influence outcomes. The fact that sham controls produced statistically significant (though less pronounced) effects compared to true Reiki may offer an important clue into mechanisms at play. One possible explanation is the “enforced relaxation” inherent in both the treatment and the sham conditions. Simply removing oneself from a stress-inducing environment, such as constant study or clinical demands, and engaging in a calm structured session may yield psychological and physiological benefits. This phenomenon may be similar to the stress-reducing effects seen with other interventions such as exercise or meditation. Future research should further examine these variables to disentangle the effects of practitioner presence, physical touch, and placebo responses.

A wide array of tools were utilized across studies to measure stress and burnout, highlighting the diversity of outcome measures and the inherent complexity of researching this topic. Importantly, this is the first review to evaluate the use of Reiki and therapeutic touch specifically in undergraduate students, nursing and midwifery students, and healthcare professionals. While previous systematic reviews have explored Reiki in the context of pain and anxiety in the general population [14, 28], or assessed therapeutic touch for anxiety and depression [29], none has focused on student or healthcare personnel populations. This gap underscores the need for further research, and our findings suggest that Reiki or therapeutic touch may hold promise in reducing stress in these high-risk groups.

Not all individuals appeared to benefit equally from these interventions. In Rosada et al.’s study [20], Reiki was associated with improvements in all three burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment), but depersonalization scores improved only amongst unpartnered participants. Similarly, MYMOP-2 scores improved significantly only in single individuals. This suggests that Reiki may offer less additional benefit for individuals who already receive emotional support from a partner. Conversely, unpartnered individuals—who may lack an intrinsic support system—may be more receptive to the benefits of Reiki in reducing burnout.

Additionally, participants with no prior Reiki experience saw greater symptom reductions than those with previous exposure [20], indicating that Reiki may be especially effective in Reiki-naïve individuals. Interestingly, sham Reiki also reduced depersonalization scores, implying that therapeutic factors such as intentional touch, focused attention, or calming environments may contribute to perceived improvements regardless of the specific modality.

Therapeutic frequency also appears to influence outcomes. In Susman et al.’s study [18], intention-to-treat analysis showed no difference between self-compassionate touch (SCT) and an active control. However, in the per-protocol analysis, participants who practiced SCT more than 28 times experienced improvements in self-compassion, stress, and psychopathology, suggesting that near-daily practice may be necessary for benefit.

Bukowski [21] found that the most significant reductions in stress occurred during the first 4 weeks of self-Reiki practice, indicating that the intervention’s effects may plateau over time. Rosada et al. [20] observed a potential order effect: Reiki was only significantly more effective than sham Reiki when administered first. This may reflect increased receptivity or novelty associated with receiving Reiki early in the study period.

Given the diversity of populations studied (students, nurses, and mental health professionals) and the variability in intervention types, this review cannot draw definitive conclusions about the comparative efficacy of Reiki versus self-Reiki or other touch modalities across subgroups.

A primary strength of this review is that it is the first to focus specifically on Reiki and therapeutic touch in students and healthcare personnel. This offers valuable insight into the potential role of energy-based healing techniques in high-stress populations. These findings may inform future mental health interventions in educational and clinical settings. They may also be relevant to medical students—a group known to experience high rates of anxiety and depression—by introducing a novel and potentially effective wellness intervention. The review underscores the importance of incorporating mental health strategies into medical education.

However, this review also has limitations. The number of eligible studies was small, and the overall quality of evidence varied. One article was not a research study [22], one was observational [21], and one used a correlational design [23], which limits the ability to infer causation. Additionally, the inclusion of sham Reiki—while valuable for comparison—may complicate interpretation, as such interventions may still provide benefit due to the placebo effect or therapeutic setting [19]. Many control conditions also involved calming environments, which could independently reduce stress.

Not all studies included control groups, and some lacked rigorous methodology. Furthermore, although most studies were conducted in the USA, one study was conducted in Turkey and one in Pakistan. These international studies offer valuable insight but may be influenced by cultural perceptions of healing, potentially limiting generalizability to US medical students. Finally, although this review aimed to explore Reiki’s relevance for medical students, no studies to date have examined Reiki in that population directly. Future research is needed to determine the utility, feasibility, and effectiveness of Reiki and other therapeutic touch modalities in medical student populations specifically.