What the Research Says About Qigong

Qigong is a gentle mind-body practice that pairs slow movement, steady breathing, and focused attention. Over the last two decades, researchers have studied it the way they study other movement and relaxation practices, running clinical trials and then pooling those trials into systematic reviews. The picture that comes back is genuinely encouraging in several areas and still developing in most of them. Many studies are small, and researchers keep asking for larger, higher-quality trials before drawing firm conclusions.

So this page is education, not a treatment claim. We are not going to tell you that Qigong cures or treats anything. What we can do is walk through the topics people ask about most, summarize what reputable reviews actually found, and link you to the sources so you can read them yourself. Where the evidence is thin, we say so.

Stress and mood

Mood is one of the more studied areas. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that Qigong practice had beneficial effects on depressive symptoms when compared with waitlist or usual-care groups, while the same review did not find a clear benefit for anxiety symptoms (Wang and colleagues, in PMC). That split matters, and it is a good example of honest reporting: a practice can show promise for one outcome and remain unproven for a closely related one.

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) reaches a similar, measured conclusion. It notes that although some studies suggest Qigong and Tai Chi may reduce anxiety, more high-quality studies with larger numbers of people are needed before firm conclusions can be reached (NCCIH on Tai Chi). In plain language: the early signals on mood are promising, and the research is not settled.

Sleep

Several reviews have looked at whether these practices help people sleep better. A systematic review and meta-analysis of Tai Chi for subjective sleep quality found a moderate improvement in how well people felt they slept (Si and colleagues, in PMC). Because health-focused Tai Chi is considered a form of Qigong, findings like these are often read together. For Qigong specifically, NCCIH points to a 2019 review of people with cancer in which Qigong significantly improved fatigue and sleep quality (NCCIH on Qigong). Studies suggest a real, if modest, benefit here, likely because the slow breathing and quiet attention help settle the nervous system before rest.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is one of the stronger areas. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that Qigong was associated with lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with hypertension (Dong and colleagues, in PMC). A large evidence review by the US Department of Veterans Affairs went further: among 26 systematic reviews published between 2014 and 2024, hypertension was one of only two conditions where the reviewers judged the benefit of Tai Chi or Qigong with high certainty (VA Evidence Map of Tai Chi and Qigong). NCCIH is more cautious about Qigong on its own, noting that some reviews are small and firm evidence is still limited, so this is a practice worth discussing with the person who manages your blood pressure, not a replacement for their care.

Energy and quality of life

Many people come to Qigong hoping to feel less depleted, and fatigue is where some of the clearest guidance now exists. In 2024, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Society for Integrative Oncology updated their guideline on cancer-related fatigue and recommended Tai Chi or Qigong, alongside exercise and other approaches, to help reduce the severity of fatigue during cancer treatment (ASCO and SIO guideline, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology). Reviews of Qigong in cancer care have also reported improvements in overall quality of life. This is a specific population studied under specific conditions, and it is one of the more solid signals that a gentle practice can support how a person feels day to day.

Safety

On safety, the reviews are reassuring. NCCIH puts it plainly:

Qigong appears to be a safe form of activity. Many studies have indicated no negative side effects in people practicing qigong, including people with chronic diseases and older adults. NCCIH, Qigong: What You Need To Know

The VA evidence review reported information on side effects in most of the studies it examined and generally found no serious harms. As with any movement practice, gentle activity can occasionally cause sore muscles, and people who are pregnant or managing a health condition may need to modify certain movements. The Cleveland Clinic frames the whole field well for a beginner: the existing evidence is not strong enough to use Qigong to treat or prevent health problems, and it does suggest the practice is safe to try and may be a helpful supportive addition to regular care (Cleveland Clinic on Qigong).

The honest bottom line

Qigong is safe for most people, pleasant to do, and supported by a growing body of research that points in a hopeful direction for stress, mood, sleep, blood pressure, and energy. The evidence is strongest where it has been studied most, and much of it still calls for larger and better trials. That is a fair reason to try Qigong as a gentle daily practice, and not a reason to set aside the care of your own doctor or practitioner. If you want to go deeper, our Learn articles explain the practice in plain language, and our Schools page can help you find a teacher.

Sources

This page is educational and is not medical advice. It is not a claim that Qigong treats, cures, or prevents any condition. Research summarized here is often early and mixed, and individual results vary. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medication, talk with your own doctor or practitioner before beginning a new practice.

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