Effect of johrei therapy on sleep in a murine model

Context: Sleep deprivation is an underrecognized problem that afflicts our society and can lead to reductions in vitality. However, vitality can be improved by Johrei therapy. We experimented on animals to distinguish the potential benefits of Johrei therapy independent of placebo effects. Objectives: The central purpose of this study was to explore the sleep-promoting effects of Johrei in mice subjected to sleep interruption. The exploratory aim of the study was to determine the effect of Johrei on sleep as measured by tissue markers in the brain and electroencephalography-derived sleep in sleep-interrupted mice when compared with control mice. Design, Intervention, and Measurements: Mice (n = 45; C57BL/J6) were randomly allocated to one of five study arms with nine animals per arm: Johrei therapy alone, sham controls, negative controls, sleep interruption, and sleep interruption plus Johrei therapy. The amount of sleep was evaluated by measuring proportion of C-fos reactive neurons versus non-C-fos reactive neurons in the medial preoptic area of brain. Results: The proportion of C-fos reactive cells in sleep-interrupted mice that received Johrei therapy (14.5 ± 0.8%; sleep interruption plus Johrei therapy group) was greater than in sleep-interrupted mice (2.4 ± 1.3%; sleep interruption group) that received no such therapy (P <.0001). The sleep efficiency adjusted for baseline sleep in sleep interrupted mice that received Johrei therapy (sleep interruption plus Johrei therapy group; median 115%; interquartile range 68, 134%) was greater than mice receiving sleep interruption alone (sleep interruption group; median 89%; interquartile range 65, 110%; P =.07). Conclusions: Johrei treatment results in better sleep as measured by proportion of brain tissue markers of recent sleep.