Five Minutes of Prayer Cuts Pain and Anxiety in Clinical Trial, Study Finds
A University of Maryland School of Medicine study found that five minutes of in-person intercessory prayer reduced pain and anxiety in primary care patients. The randomized trial enrolled 180 adults and compared prayer to a music control group. Benefits held at two-week and six-week follow-ups, regardless of patients' religious backgrounds.
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine published findings in May 2026 showing that five minutes of proximal intercessory prayer significantly reduced pain and anxiety in primary care patients.
The randomized controlled trial enrolled 180 adults who reported moderate to severe pain or clinically significant anxiety after routine medical appointments. Half received five minutes of in-person Christian intercessory prayer from a trained volunteer. The other half listened to soft music for the same duration.
Patients in the prayer group reported greater immediate reductions in pain intensity. The anxiety relief was especially durable, with the prayer group sustaining lower anxiety levels at both two-week and six-week follow-ups.
One notable finding: the benefits were not tied to the patient's personal faith or religious background. Black participants experienced larger reductions in pain and anxiety compared to other demographic groups in the study.
Lead researcher Dr. Katherine Jacobson noted that 97 percent of participants said they were neutral or supportive of having prayer available during medical visits. The team acknowledged that non-specific factors, such as human touch and the presence of a caring person, could not be fully separated from the prayer itself.
The study was published in the Annals of Family Medicine. Researchers called for future trials to include a control condition involving interpersonal contact without prayer to better isolate the specific effects.
The findings add to a small but growing body of research examining the intersection of spiritual practice and physical health outcomes in clinical settings.
