Energy healing effect size: 0.53 (medium)
Energy healing showed a medium effect size of 0.53 but only 56% of studies found any reportable effect, making it inconsistent but potent when it works.
Where this was said
Works Sometimes Tier: Energy Healing (Rank 8)
At 1:03:53 · chapter starts 56:35
This is the section that surprises everyone, including Mark. Energy healing — Reiki, therapeutic touch, and similar practices — posted a medium effect size of 0.53 in the best meta-analysis, outperforming visualization. [1] — Mark Manson "Energy healing effect size: 0.53 (medium): Energy healing showed a medium effect size of 0.53 but only 56% of studies found any reportable …" 1:03:53 The tradeoff is inconsistency: only 56% of studies found any reportable effect. Drew recounts a carefully controlled Reiki study on knee pain patients where Reiki, a sham 'fakie' group (unskilled hand-wavers), and a meditation group all produced equal immediate pain relief. The interesting twist: two months later, the fakie group had regressed, while Reiki and meditation groups retained their improvement. Mark's working hypothesis is that virtually all the benefit comes from human touch, focused attention, and a calming ceremonial context — what researchers call touch therapy and expectancy effects. He punctuates this with a personal story of a Reiki session after a breakup that left him inexplicably exhausted and noticeably better a day later. The power of placebo in a rich ritual context is the through-line.
Reiki vs fakie: both improved knee pain
A placebo-controlled Reiki study found that Reiki, a sham 'fakie' control, and meditation all immediately improved knee pain equally — but only Reiki and meditation sustained that improvement two months later.
Cold Water Immersion: Win-More, Not a Cure
Cold water immersion has consistently positive mental health effects — but only if you're already relatively healthy. For fragile systems it can backfire, colder isn't always better, and the social ritual of doing it with others may account for a significant portion of the benefit.
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Spencer Greenberg and Jeremy Stevenson analyzed almost 500 self-improvement techniques and found they all reduce to just 12 underlying psychological drivers.
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Cold exposure has good short-term alertness benefits but the evidence base for long-term health benefits is much weaker than popularly believed.
20 habit techniques tested; almost none worked
In a randomized study of 20 habit-formation techniques run on hundreds of people, almost none of the techniques produced statistically meaningful results.
Tiny habit users stick to the FULL habit more
People given a tiny-habit fallback option (e.g. 10 squats instead of gym) were actually MORE successful at completing the full habit, not less.
Habit reflection = standout technique
The most effective habit-formation technique was 'habit reflection' — recalling a past successful habit, writing down what helped, then applying those lessons to a new habit.
Behavioral activation rivals CBT for depression
A study found that simply scheduling enjoyable activities was as effective as standard cognitive behavioral therapy for depression, leading to its own therapy called behavioral activation.
Worry time: batch all worries to 5 PM
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Sleeping faster by trying to stay awake
A study found that participants told to try to stay awake while in bed fell asleep faster than participants told to try to sleep — illustrating the paradox of direct effort.
Social anxiety eliminated in ~6 months
Spencer Greenberg reduced his severe social anxiety dramatically in roughly 6 months through a structured exposure therapy hierarchy, culminating in asking strangers for hugs.
