Brainwaves and the Biofield: Energy Work in Psychiatry

An evidence-forward look at the biofield concept and its overlap with neuroscience.

The term “biofield” is used to describe the complex, spatially distributed electromagnetic, biophotonic, and physiological fields that surround and arise from living organisms. Over recent decades the idea of a human biofield — once chiefly a metaphysical concept — has been recast in more measurable, biophysical terms. Scientists now discuss components of the biofield in language tied to electrophysiology (EEG/EMG), magnetophysiology (MEG/MCG), biophotons, and systemic rhythms produced by the heart and autonomic nervous system. Several peer-reviewed reviews and empirical studies summarize this emerging field and its open questions.

What makes up the “biofield”? — the measurable components

Rather than a single mysterious energy, the biofield is best thought of as a bundle of measurable signals generated by physiological activity:

• Brain electrical activity (EEG) — Populations of neurons firing in synchrony produce electrical potentials recorded on the scalp. These signals are grouped into canonical frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma) and reflect states such as sleep, attention, and emotional arousal. EEG is a long standing and well-validated tool to identify the brain’s contribution to the biofield.

• Magnetic fields from the brain (MEG) — The tiny magnetic fields produced by neuronal currents are measurable with magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG and EEG provide complementary pictures of neural network dynamics and are widely used in neuroscience research.

• Cardiac electrical and magnetic fields (ECG / MCG) — The heart generates the strongest rhythmic electromagnetic field in the body. Magnetocardiography (MCG) and sensitive magnetometers can detect the heart’s magnetic field outside the torso; these cardiac fields interact with autonomic state and can entrain other physiological rhythms. The heart’s field is often a dominant component of the measurable human bio-electromagnetic environment.

• Muscle and peripheral electrical activity (EMG) — Skeletal and smooth muscle activity produce measurable electric signals that contribute to the body’s overall electromagnetic signature.

• Biophotons and weak optical emissions — Experimental groups have reported ultra-weak photon emissions from living tissue; this is a smaller, more controversial area of study but is sometimes discussed as a biofield component.

Taken together, these signals form a dynamic, multi-modal field around the body — what many researchers call the biofield. Importantly, most of these components are measurable with accepted laboratory techniques (EEG, MEG, ECG/MCG, EMG), which is why the concept has moved from metaphor toward experimental science.

How brainwaves (EEG) fit into the biofield picture

Brainwaves are central to the biofield because they represent organized electrical activity at different frequencies that travel through the brain and produce both local electrical potentials and associated magnetic fields. Different EEG bands are associated with different functional states:

• Delta (0.5–4 Hz): deep sleep, restorative processes

• Theta (4–8 Hz): memory consolidation, drowsiness, meditative states

• Alpha (8–12 Hz): relaxed wakefulness, inhibitory control

• Beta (13–30 Hz): active thinking, attention

• Gamma (>30 Hz): high-level integration and binding

Because EEG rhythms reflect large-scale neural coordination, changes in those rhythms are sensible candidates for being part of an individual’s biofield signature. Alterations in EEG power and connectivity have been observed in pain states, mood disorders, and following some biofield interventions — offering a plausible neurophysiological bridge between reported subjective effects and measurable brain activity.

Evidence linking biofield interventions and measurable brain/body changes

A number of controlled studies and systematic reviews have examined biofield-based therapies (healing touch, Reiki, therapeutic touch, non-contact interventions), with mixed but sometimes promising results. Physiological studies report modulation of EEG, heart-rate variability, skin conductance, and other metrics during or after biofield interventions. Reviews urge cautious interpretation: some trials show measurable effects, others show small or inconsistent findings, and methodological heterogeneity is common.

A growing body of experimental work also documents that practitioner and patient physiological states (heart rhythm coherence, respiration, EEG patterns) can change during intentional healing states — suggesting bidirectional interactions between people’s measurable fields. These observations do not yet prove a therapeutic “energy” in the metaphysical sense, but they do show that subtle physiological coupling and entrainment can occur and be quantified- giving hope to many energy healers.

Mechanisms under consideration

Researchers propose several non-exclusive mechanisms by which biofield-related phenomena might arise or exert influence:

• Electromagnetic coupling and entrainment: rhythmic biological signals (heart, brain, muscle) can entrain neighboring tissues or interacting systems via weak electromagnetic fields. The heart’s field is orders of magnitude stronger than the brain’s magnetic field and can be a dominant source for coupling.

• Autonomic-behavioral pathways: changes in perceived support, expectation, or relaxation during biofield therapies drive autonomic shifts (vagal tone, cortisol) that in turn alter pain and mood circuits. These are well-established psychophysiological pathways.

• Cellular signaling cascades: in vitro and cell-level studies suggest that externally applied electromagnetic fields can alter cellular behavior (gene expression, ion channel activity), although translating these findings to whole-body clinical effects remains an active research area.

  
  

Limitations and scientific caution

The science of the biofield is still emerging. Many studies are small, use heterogeneous methods, or lack adequate blinding. Systematic reviews call for larger, better-controlled trials and rigorous replication. Importantly, measurable physiological fields (EEG, ECG/MCG, MEG) are well-established; the more speculative claims (e.g., long-range “healing energy” that acts beyond known electromagnetic coupling mechanisms) require stronger, reproducible evidence. Researchers are actively working to clarify what aspects of the biofield are physical and measurable, and which claims remain unproven. Moving research forward will only provide more evidence as to how we can influence the biofield to promote personal healing.

Bottom line for clinicians and curious readers

• The biofield is a helpful organizing concept for a host of measurable physiological fields (brainwaves, cardiac magnetism, muscle electrical activity, and weak photon emissions).

• EEG and MEG provide the best-established measures of the brain’s contribution to an individual’s biofield; MCG and ECG demonstrate that the heart is a major electromagnetic source.

• Some biofield therapies are associated with measurable changes (EEG, HRV, subjective outcomes), but evidence varies and higher-quality trials are needed.

• For the many reasons listed above, psychiatric providers are considering how they can promote a healthy biofield to contribute to their patient's overall mental health.

  
  

Selected peer-reviewed references (for clinicians)

1. Rubik B. Biofield Science and Healing: History, Terminology, and Concepts. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015.

2. Hammerschlag R, et al. Biofield Physiology: A Framework for an Emerging Discipline. Glob Adv Health Med. 2015.

3. Jain S, et al. Clinical Studies of Biofield Therapies. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015.

4. Matos LC, et al. Perspectives, Measurability and Effects of Non-Contact Biofield Therapeutic Approaches. Front Public Health. 2021.

5. Elfouly T, et al. Harnessing the Heart's Magnetic Field for Advanced Diagnostics. Sensors (review, 2024).

6. Uchida S, et al. Effect of Biofield Therapy in the Human Brain. (Physiologic/EEG study). 2012.