Will you be healthier and happier if you have a religious or spiritual practice? The answer is somewhat complex, but recent research suggests spirituality affects your health in a positive way. It appears there is a causal connection between having religious affiliation or spiritual practice and your overall health and well-being.
History Repeated
Historically, religion and healthcare were strongly connected. During the Middle Ages, clergy were often also physicians. For centuries, religious organizations licensed and oversaw medical practitioners. Eventually though, the fields of medicine, psychology, spirituality, and religion diverged in favor of discovering their individual merits to society. Modern history has seen the connection between body, mind, and spirit reappear. The fields of transpersonal psychology and integrative medicine have always been certain that no separation exists between spiritual health and overall wellness. But what is the nature of that relationship? How can we be sure how spirituality affects your health?
Studies by various sectors have concluded that spiritual beliefs and religious involvement can equate with desirable health outcomes, such as better coping skills, greater longevity, less depression, and better quality of life. Some studies indicate spiritual practices can enhance recovery from illness. The most direct relationship is seen in religious or spiritual traditions that encourage following certain health practices.
The Body as a Temple
Many religions and world wisdom traditions teach that the human body is a sacred vessel for bringing the spirit into the world. Some outline how to care for the body, including substances or behaviors to avoid. Research shows that people who faithfully follow these types of prescriptions are less likely to engage in smoking, drug use, and criminal behavior. Followers are also more likely to practice preventive health habits, such as taking vitamin supplements or meditating. These practices would certainly contribute to better overall health and factor into the correlation.
The Resilience Factor
A strong religious or spiritual foundation was found to enhance the ability to respond to hardship or even trauma. Inherent to most spiritual belief systems is a sense of interconnection and community. Finding connection and meaning in difficult circumstances helps the nervous system adapt. When painful or traumatizing situations happen, spiritual believers draw support from kinship with others who have overcome similar challenges. The sense of unity, rather than isolation, goes a long way to relieving personal pain and suffering.
The Importance of Forgiveness
Whether you are a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or Pagan, you likely share a belief system that values forgiveness. Releasing the heaviness and negativity of blame and resentment is known to benefit physical and mental health. The practice of forgiveness is associated with lower blood pressure, better heart health, longer lifespan and better immune function. Lightening your heart with forgiveness may help you experience less pain and more serenity in your life.
Improved Longevity
The effect of religion and spirituality on lifespan has been studied extensively. Cognitive well-being is closely associated with human longevity, and people with strong spiritual or religious beliefs tend to live healthier, longer lives. This makes sense given all of the positive physical and mental health benefits.
The Latest Findings
A recent university study out of Italy sought to discover whether these health benefits were more associated with religious involvement or with non-religious spiritual practices. Broadly, the study showed that general life satisfaction was consistently associated with both religious and spiritual beliefs. The results on emotional health differed. Data revealed that positive effects, how one feels and expresses emotion, correspond more so with non-religious spiritual beliefs than religious affiliation. Having a specific daily spiritual practice, such as meditation, can significantly increase positive emotions and enhance your general sense of health and life satisfaction.
If your beliefs land somewhere along the religious-spiritual spectrum, you are likely enhancing your physical, mental, and emotional health. Not only can meditating or attending Mass keep you healthier, but it can also make you happier and more resilient in tough times. If staying healthy, coping better, and feeling more connected appeal to you, it may be a good time to work on your spiritual life.