Everyone wants to live a longer and healthier life. Numerous
website and magazines provide plenty of advice on how to care for your body and
maximize your lifespan.
Eat the right food, exercise, drink lots of water, make
sleep a priority, don’t smoke or use illegal drugs, and maintain a healthy
weight are on every list. Recently
several articles have appeared on news and Facebook feeds about the importance
of faith, prayer, and church attendance in a longer-healthier life. In August 2025 I referenced two studies in my
blog post The Pursuit of Happiness.
More studies have followed that have led to some surprising
conclusions. Seven benefits of an active faith are described by researchers as
follows:
Happiness
Participation in religious organizations was
‘the only social activity associated with sustained happiness.’ Researchers
noted, however, that it is unclear whether the benefits of participating in a
religious organization are linked to being in the religious community, or
to the faith itself.
The Week, The Key to Sustained Happiness, 8.15.15
Less Depression
Regardless of unhealthy or healthy habits, the study
found that people who attended one religious service each week were less likely
to be depressed than those who did not. Since depression can impact longevity,
such attendance might help. And a 1998 study published in the American Journal
of Public Health found that elderly community residents who regularly attended
church services lived longer than those who did not partake. Health.com, 21 Reasons you Will Live Longer Than your Friends, Michael De Medeiros, 9.19.15
Stress Relief
A number of studies
have found that devout people have fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as
well as a better ability to cope with stress. Certain religious practices may
even change the brain in a way that boosts mental health, studies suggest.
The Science of Religion: How Spirituality Impacts Mental Health,
Rachael Rettner, 9.29.15
Better Mental Health
For example, a 2005
study of older adults in the San Francisco Bay area found that being religious
served as a buffer against depression among people in poorer health, with the
highest levels of depression among those who were in poor health and not
religious. In addition, a 2013 study found that patients who are being treated
for mental-health issues such as depression or anxiety responded better to
treatment if they believed in God. The Science of
Religion: How Spirituality Impacts Mental Health,
Rachael Rettner, 9.29.15
Purpose & Meaning
in Life
In another review of
93 studies on religion and health, Dr. Harold G. Koenig, director of the Center
for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center, found
that more religious people had fewer depressive symptoms."People who are more
involved in religious practices and who are more religiously committed seem to
cope better with stress," Koenig said. "One of the reasons is because
[religion] gives people a sense of purpose and meaning in life, and that helps
them to make sense of negative things that happen to them," Koenig said. A
person's religious community can also provide support and encouragement through
hard times, he said."
Healthier Brain
Studies on the brains
of religious people may also provide an explanation for the link between
religion and mental-health benefits, said Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist
at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital in Philadelphia. Studies suggest
that meditation, and meditative prayer (such as prayer that repeats a
particular phrase), activate areas of the brain involved in regulating
emotional responses, including the frontal lobes, Newberg said."It's also
possible that the beliefs and teachings advocated by a religion — like
forgiveness, love and compassion — may ‘become integrated into the way the
brain works. The more that certain neural connections in the
brain are used, the stronger they become, he said, so if a religion advocates
compassion, the neural circuits involved in thinking about compassion become
stronger.”
Longer Life
Women who
attend religious services frequently may live longer than women who don't, new
research suggests. Women who attended religious services regularly were 33
percent less likely to die during the study period, compared with women who
never attended services. Once-a-week attendees were 26 percent less likely to
die, and those attending less than once a week were 23 percent less likely to
die. Overall, frequent religious attendance was associated with a 27 percent
lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 21 percent lower
risk of death from cancer. Frequent attendance was also associated with
significantly less risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Religious Service
Attendance Tied to Longer Life, Reuters, 5.16.16
We know that
being a Christian gives us eternal life in heaven and abundant life here on
earth. Now, it appears that the scientific benefits for our bodies and minds
are equally important. Say your prayers, read your Bible, and go to church on
Sunday. It just might save your life.
