A brief session of in‑person prayer may play a larger role in easing discomfort than previously thought, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine.

The randomized controlled trial found that adult patients experienced notable reductions in pain and anxiety after just five minutes of face‑to‑face prayer.

The effects, measured immediately afterward and weeks later, surpassed those reported by participants who spent the same amount of time listening to music.

Study co‑author Katherine Jacobson, M.D., an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said most participants responded positively to the experience.

She shared that 97% of those who took part were “neutral or supportive” about having this type of prayer available as part of medical care.

Researchers described the prayer technique as proximal intercessory prayer, meaning direct, in‑person prayer focused on another person’s well‑being.

One hundred eighty adult patients were recruited from a family medicine waiting room for the trial.

All of the volunteers had previously reported moderate to severe pain, anxiety, or both, and were randomly placed into two groups after completing their medical appointments.

One group received five minutes of Christian prayer from a trained volunteer, while the other listened to music for five minutes.

Both groups improved across several measurement intervals, but those who received prayer consistently reported greater and longer‑lasting relief. The findings were published in The Annals of Family Medicine.

For pain reduction, patients in the prayer group saw the biggest drop immediately after the session, which remained apparent at the two‑week follow‑up.

For anxiety, the difference lasted even longer, with the prayer group continuing to show statistically significant improvements after both two and six weeks.

Pastor Jesse Bradley of Grace Community Church in Washington, who commented on the study but did not participate in it, called prayer “powerful and beneficial on many levels.”

He said that during his own recovery from a long illness, “Daily prayer was essential in my healing journey.”

Researchers expected belief to influence outcomes, but the data told a different story.

“Religious affiliation, religious intensity and expectancy of healing did not predict who improved,” Jacobson said.

“Benefits appeared across a wide range of patients, including those not of the Christian faith.”

The team acknowledged that the study could not prove cause and effect.

Prayer recipients received direct human contact, while those in the music group did not, and this physical interaction might have contributed to the results.

Still, the findings suggested that brief, faith‑based interactions could serve as an inexpensive and non‑drug addition to traditional care when patients desire it.

The researchers plan future trials that include interpersonal contact without prayer to refine their understanding.

Jacobson noted that the results reinforce the value of asking patients about spiritual preferences as part of whole‑person care.

She also suggested that trained prayer volunteers could be integrated into clinics for interested patients.

The study added to evidence that activities combining compassion, attention, and personal connection can influence the patient experience.

According to the authors, prayer remains the most common form of complementary medicine in the United States, used by 43% of Americans.

While more work is needed to separate the power of prayer from the benefits of human connection, the University of Maryland study points toward an approach that may offer both comfort and calm to those navigating pain and anxiety.

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