Getting a Headache After Reiki: How to Solve It

It is not uncommon to experience a headache after Reiki, but luckily there are easy ways to fix it, once you understand the two trigger causes of feeling worse after Reiki. Read on to learn more.

First, let’s start with some background. My name is Lillie, and I’m a Reiki practitioner in Boston who does Reiki for stress relief and for general relaxation for wellbeing.

Since officially launching my journey as a Reiki provider in 2018, I’ve seen, hands-on, how headaches and feeling tired after Reiki sessions can impact clients after energy work. Luckily, through consultations with my mentors and teachers, plus research and trial-and-error, there has emerged a clear path forward.

Causes and Solutions for Reiki Headaches

There are two main causes of headaches after Reiki. Let’s examine each one, as they each have a different solution.

1. Dehydration (or other body support issue).

The #1 cause of getting a headache after Reiki is not drinking enough water before and after the session. The solution for this is simple: anyone getting Reiki chakra balancing needs to drink at least one full glass of water directly after their session, and should continue more hydration than usual throughout the day.

I advise all my clients to bring a full water bottle with them to the session, and if they forget, I pour them a fresh glass of H2O immediately after they step down from the table, and passionately cajole them to drink it all. Making requests is important for a good experience!

Why? Though Reiki is very relaxing, it also can involve a great deal of mental and physical processing (whether or not there’s actually shaking during Reiki, things are moving), and that needs to be supported by proper hydration. It’s like a workout, except for energy flow! In addition to drinking water, I would also strongly recommend getting good sleep, nutrition, and exercise to support optimal body functioning.

2. Stress can bring a headache after Reiki.

Energy work is incredibly powerful in working through emotions, as explained in my articles about Reiki for clarity, and visions during Reiki — and at the same time, it can bring up some long-hidden elements that can be intense to face. For example, you may have a sudden realization about where you want your life path to go, or get present to a long-forgotten memory that evokes strong feelings.

A compassionate and attentive Reiki practitioner can help you flow productively with these emotions, but it doesn’t mean they don’t take effort to work through. When under stress like this, one common reaction of the body is to speed the breathing and make it more shallow, thus constricting blood flow to the brain, and causing headaches.

Given this, what’s the solution? After your Reiki session, keep the healing going and support your body’s natural systems by doing some exercise (even a slow walk), intentionally trying to slow and deepen your breathing (perhaps assisted by a mediation app), and getting good sleep. Journaling and talking or texting with trusted confidants — or your Reiki practitioner — about anything during the session that you’re still working through can help ease headache-inducing stress as well.

Getting a Headache After Reiki, Solved

I hope this article helped clarify that dehydration and stress are the biggest causes of Reiki headaches, and thus the easiest solutions are to drink water, and to practice self-care that supports stress reduction. Remember: Your Reiki professional is there to help you, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them after your session if they could provide any additional insights. You’re also welcome to post any questions for me in the comment section, below. Sending you good energy!

Want more? Check out: “Is Reiki real?” and, “What is a Reiki session cost?” You can also explore an in-depth dive into how to stop drinking alcohol — another common cause of headaches — via Reiki.