Story perspectives

Study: 5-Minute Prayer Beats Music, Cuts Pain, Anxiety

5/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

University of Maryland researchers reported that a five-minute Christian prayer reduced pain and anxiety more than music in a trial of 180 patients.
Prayer participants experienced greater immediate pain relief and maintained lower pain scores at two weeks.
They also showed larger anxiety drops after prayer with benefits persisting at two and six weeks.
Black participants recorded the biggest improvements in both pain and anxiety compared with other groups.

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Story summary

University of Maryland researchers reported that a five-minute Christian prayer reduced pain and anxiety more than music in a trial of 180 patients.
Prayer participants experienced greater immediate pain relief and maintained lower pain scores at two weeks.
They also showed larger anxiety drops after prayer with benefits persisting at two and six weeks.
Black participants recorded the biggest improvements in both pain and anxiety compared with other groups.