The Science Behind Qi Gong for Social Prescribing: Pain, Breath and Mood
When you refer someone to Qi Gong through social prescribing, you want more than “it feels nice.” You want a grounded sense that this gentle practice can help with the problems your clients actually live with – pain, breathlessness, anxious minds and flat moods.
This article pulls together key research on Qi Gong for pain, breath and mood and shows how it links directly to social prescribing outcomes. It also connects the science to real-world practice at Bright Beings Academy, including findings from the Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report.
If you’d like the broader context first, you can also read
Qi Gong and Social Prescribing in the UK: A Complete Guide for Link Workers.
A quick refresher: what is Qi Gong and why does it matter for link workers?
Qi Gong is a family of traditional Chinese mind–body exercises. Practices usually combine:
Slow, repetitive movements
Natural, deeper breathing
Gentle focus on body sensations and internal awareness
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes that consistent Qi Gong practice may help with pain, sleep and physical and mental function in conditions like fibromyalgia and other chronic problems, though research is still at an early stage and studies are often small. (NCCIH)
For social prescribing, this matters because many referrals involve:
Long-term pain and fatigue
Shortness of breath and low exercise tolerance
Anxiety, stress and low mood
Loneliness, isolation and loss of confidence
Qi Gong offers a very low barrier entry point. It can be practised standing or sitting, indoors or online, and does not depend on fitness, age or previous exercise history.
Pain and fibromyalgia: what the research suggests
Fibromyalgia and chronic pain often show up in social prescribing caseloads. People are tired, disheartened and wary of anything that feels “too intense”.
NCCIH summarises a 2020 review of two small studies on Qi Gong for fibromyalgia: (NCCIH)
In one study (89 people), six months of regular Qi Gong led to improvements in pain, sleep and physical and mental function that were still present 4–6 months later.
In another (57 people), seven weeks of Qi Gong led to reduced pain, less disruption from fibromyalgia, lower anxiety and better quality of life.
A wider 2017 review with four studies (201 participants) found that diligent practice – around 30–40 minutes a day for 6–8 weeks – produced consistent benefits in pain, sleep and function, again lasting months after the studies ended. (NCCIH)
More recent reviews and trials continue to lean in the same direction: Qi Gong appears to reduce pain intensity, fatigue and depression scores and improve sleep quality and physical function for many people living with fibromyalgia, although sample sizes remain modest and methods varied. (alternative-therapies.com)
What this means for social prescribing
For link workers and GPs, the takeaway is not that Qi Gong is a magic cure, but that:
Pain improvements are linked to regular, ongoing practice, not one-off taster sessions.
Benefits often span pain, sleep, mood and confidence – the same domains your outcome tools measure.
Qi Gong is gentle and adaptable, so people with low fitness and high fear-avoidance can still join.
If you want to explore pain-focused evidence in more depth, you can pair this article with
Qi Gong and Autoimmune Conditions: Inflammation Evidence 2020–2025
and
Qi Gong and Cancer-Related Fatigue: What the Studies Say.
Breath and lung health: COPD and breathlessness
Breathless clients – especially those with COPD – are often referred into social prescribing because standard pulmonary rehab can feel intimidating or hard to access.
A growing body of research on mind–body exercises, including Qi Gong and related sets like Baduanjin and Liuzijue, shows:
Improvements in lung function (e.g. FEV1 and FEV1%)
Longer six-minute walk distances
Better quality-of-life scores and lower symptom burden (Nature)
One recent meta-analysis found that traditional mind–body exercises significantly improved FEV1%, six-minute walk distance and COPD quality-of-life scores, with Qi Gong showing the strongest gains in lung function measures compared with Tai Chi and yoga. (Frontiers)
For people who can’t reach a local group easily, a 2025 systematic review and emerging trials suggest that remote or online Baduanjin / Qi Gong can still improve quality of life and exercise tolerance when used alongside standard care. (PMC)
What this means for social prescribing
For COPD, breathlessness and post-viral fatigue referrals:
Qi Gong offers a breath-led, low-impact option that can sit alongside medical treatment and formal rehab.
It can be delivered online, which matters for clients who are housebound, anxious about travel or shielding.
It reinforces pacing and self-awareness, helping people learn to move with their breath instead of against it.
To see how this evidence translates into practice pathways, you can explore
Qi Gong and Cardiovascular Health: Blood Pressure, HRV and Heart Health.
Mood, stress and mental health: calming the nervous system
Many social prescribing clients are not just in pain or breathless – they are stressed, anxious, burnt out or low. Qi Gong’s impact on mood and stress is another part of the science story.
A 2024 systematic review of Qi Gong therapy for stress management suggests that Qi Gong may reduce stress and improve psychological outcomes, although study quality varies and stronger trials are still needed. (MDPI)
In fibromyalgia and other chronic conditions, Qi Gong has been linked with reductions in anxiety and depression scores, better sleep and overall quality of life improvements – often beyond what might be expected from social contact alone. (NCCIH)
A 2025 overview of “whole-person health” approaches notes that Tai Chi and Qi Gong show promise in improving sleep, mood and quality-of-life measures across several clinical groups, again highlighting the nervous-system regulation aspect of these practices. (SAGE Journals)
What this means for social prescribing
When you refer someone to Qi Gong for mood and stress, you are offering:
A bottom-up, body-first route to calming hyperarousal and quietening rumination
A safe space where people can feel their body without judgment and build confidence slowly
A practice that can sit alongside counselling, medication and peer support without conflict
You can dive deeper into this theme in
Qi Gong and Anxiety / Mood: 2020–2025 Evidence Overview
and
Qi Gong for Mental Health Within Social Prescribing: Calm the Nervous System, Not Just the Mind.
Real-world impact: the Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report
Beyond journal articles, it helps to see what happens in real community settings.
The Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report summarises charity-funded Ki Gong and armchair yoga delivered to older adults in New Malden, Chessington and Kingston:
Around 100 older adults attended weekly sessions across three sites.
A small evaluation (28 questionnaires) found that most participants reported improved overall quality of life.
44% noticed better flexibility and ease of movement; many also described reduced pain, more energy and a stronger sense of togetherness.
You can explore the full write-up here:
These local findings mirror the broader pattern you see in the research: steady practice leads to less pain, better mood, easier movement and stronger social connection.
How Bright Beings Academy puts the science into practice
UK-wide: live online Qi Gong for social prescribing
For clients anywhere in the UK, you can refer into:
These Zoom-based sessions:
Are suitable for complete beginners
Offer standing and seated options
Emphasise breath, rhythm and nervous-system regulation
For a social-prescribing-specific overview, see
Online Qi Gong for Social Prescribing: A UK-Wide Option for Housebound and Rural Patients.
Local: New Malden and Chessington
For people in KT3 and KT9, classes are available at:
New Malden Qi Gong Mondays – a gentle, often chair-friendly class for over-50s and those needing a soft start.
Qi Gong Live Classes at the Hook Centre, Chessington – an early-evening community class focused on healthy ageing, balance and stress relief.
You can see how these map to social prescribing pathways in:
Social Prescribing in New Malden: Qi Gong for Over-50s and Gentle Chair-Based Exercise
Social Prescribing in Chessington and Hook: Community Qi Gong for Healthy Ageing
Keeping it honest: what the evidence can and cannot say
The research on Qi Gong is encouraging but not perfect. Reviews repeatedly highlight:
Small sample sizes
Variation in forms (Baduanjin, Health Qi Gong, Liuzijue, etc.)
Differences in session length, frequency and follow-up
So how should you talk about it?
A sensible, honest summary is:
“Qi Gong is a gentle movement and breathing practice. Early research suggests it can help with pain, fatigue, breathlessness, sleep and mood when people practise regularly over several weeks or months. It doesn’t replace your usual medical care, but it can be a useful extra support.”
For a wider picture across conditions (autoimmune, cardiovascular, cancer-related fatigue, mood and more), you can also explore:
Qi Gong and Autoimmune Conditions: Inflammation Evidence 2020–2025
Qi Gong and Cardiovascular Health: Blood Pressure, HRV and Heart Health
FAQs: Evidence and practice for link workers
1. How much Qi Gong do people need to do for it to help?
Fibromyalgia research suggests that 30–40 minutes a day for 6–8 weeks produces consistent improvements in pain, sleep and function, with some benefits lasting for months. (NCCIH)
In real life, that level of diligence is hard for many people. A practical message is:
“Aim for one class a week for at least 6–8 weeks, plus any short home practice you can manage.”
2. Is the evidence strong enough to recommend Qi Gong formally?
The evidence is still developing. Many studies are small and methods vary, but:
Multiple reviews now point in a similar direction for pain, COPD, Parkinson’s, mood and quality of life. (NCCIH)
Risks are low when classes are taught gently and people stay within their comfort zone.
Qi Gong is best framed as a low-risk, potentially helpful option, especially when other forms of exercise feel out of reach.
3. How do we record outcomes for Qi Gong referrals?
You can use the same simple measures you already use for other social prescribing activities:
Brief pain or fatigue scales
Sleep quality questions
Mood, anxiety or wellbeing scales
Simple questions on confidence and connection
The Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report: Health and Wellbeing Outcomes for Older Adults in Surrey shows how short questionnaires and open comments can capture changes in quality of life, mobility and social connection.
4. Can Qi Gong be used with people who have serious mental health conditions?
Qi Gong can be calming and grounding, but it is not a replacement for mental health treatment. For people with serious mental health conditions, it should:
Sit alongside their usual care (medication, therapy, crisis plans)
Be offered gently, with choice and no pressure
Include clear signposting back to clinical teams if distress increases
For more detail on nervous-system and mood evidence, see
Qi Gong and Anxiety / Mood: 2020–2025 Evidence Overview.
5. Where can I get a quick overview of all the social prescribing Qi Gong resources?
You can find a cluster-wide FAQ and resource list at
FAQ: Social Prescribing and Qi Gong with Bright Beings Academy,
and a full social prescribing overview at
Qi Gong and Social Prescribing in the UK: A Complete Guide for Link Workers.
Next steps
If you’d like to put this science to work in your own area, you can start referring clients into:
Live Online Qi Gong Classes – a UK-wide option for people who need to practise from home.
New Malden Qi Gong Mondays – gentle, often chair-friendly movement for over-50s in KT3.
Qi Gong Live Classes at the Hook Centre, Chessington – community Qi Gong for healthy ageing and stress relief in KT9.
And if you need a local case study to support funding bids or PCN planning, keep the
Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report 2019–2020 (PDF)
close by as a quick, evidence-led example.
I look forward to connecting with you in my next post.
Until then, be well and keep shining.
Peter. :)
