Radiance Series: Dr. Natalie Dyer on Large Scale Research on Reiki with Reiki Women Podcast
October 5, 2026
Is it weird that I enjoy giving Reiki more than receiving it?
October 7, 2026
In my experience, yes, and I speak as a (nearly) post-menopausal woman for whom sleep is not always easy. What helps most is the breath: consciously breathing down into the heart and the deep belly, with the hands resting there so the mind follows, breathing deeply but not unnaturally, and letting the body relax until sleep comes.
My experience? I have had bad sleeps now and then, and especially as an almost post-menopausal woman, sleep is not the easiest thing to come by. I still do not understand why, but it has something to do with hormones.
I feel that there are things within the practice that really help, and breathing is probably the biggest one: getting the mind down into the heart, into the deep belly. Breathing consciously down into the heart, placing my hands over that part of the body, which helps my mind go there because my hands are there, and breathing deeply but not unnaturally, just helping the body to relax and, eventually, hopefully, fall asleep.
When this happens. Waking at three in the morning with the mind racing is the version most people describe; the other is lying down tired and being unable to let go.
What is actually going on. A racing mind lives in the head. The breath practice moves attention into the body. Hands on the body give the mind something physical to settle on.
What to do. Lie on your back or side. One hand on the heart, one on the belly. Breathe in and down to the belly, out slowly; count neither the breaths nor the minutes. If a thought comes, go back to the hands.
When to get help. If sleep is broken most nights for weeks, or you are exhausted in the day, see your doctor; sleep problems have causes worth finding. Keep the practice alongside whatever they suggest.
You might also ask: Can you give yourself Reiki while you sleep? · What is Joshin Kokyu Ho? · Does Reiki work for depression?
An evening practice to settle the mind before sleep is in the Shūyō app.
More questions answered: Reiki Questions Answered.
