Battling cancer is a difficult endeavor for anyone, but one study has found that music can help reduce anxiety in cancer patients and even positively affect their mood, pain and quality of life.

Researchers in a Cochrane systematic review analyzed data from 1,891 cancer patients who took part in 30 trials, which ranged from simply listening to pre-recorded music to counseling with trained music therapists. Though the frequency and length of time for which the patients listened to music varied, as did the result level from each trial, the researchers could conclude that “compared to standard treatments, music reduced anxiety considerably based on clinical anxiety scores.” Additional benefits included improvements in patients’ pain and mood levels from the music, as well as noticeable, positive changes in their heart rates, respiratory rates and blood pressure.