Huffington Post - Music therapy lessens anxiety in cancer patients: study

Singing, playing an instrument, or even just listening to music may lessen anxiety in cancer patients and improve their overall quality of life, according to a new analysis of previously published research.

"I strongly believe that the beauty of music can bring renewed hope for patients and their loved ones and can energize them," says lead researcher Joke Bradt, Ph.D., an associate professor of creative arts therapies at Drexel University, in Philadelphia.

Robert Zatorre, Ph.D., a cognitive neuroscientist at McGill University, in Montreal, who studies the effect of music on the brain, says that musical qualities like tempo and volume will also likely impact a patient's mood and stress levels.

"It's been known for a very long time that music can influence mood," says Zatorre, who was not involved in the new review. "That's why lullabies exist -- to calm down babies who won't sleep."