Living on a prayer? How attending worship can improve your physical and mental healt

Most health care professionals know they can’t fully assess patients’ health without looking at social determinants, the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. Income, housing, quality of schools, access to fresh produce and other factors play an important role in wellness. But there’s one we don’t fully acknowledge: the role of faith.

Faith, spirituality and a sense of purpose all have a beneficial effect on one’s emotional, physical and mental health.

This connection is well-established by researchers. Belief in a divine plan for one’s life can foster optimism and hope − attitudes that can boost mental and physical health, according to an analysis of more than 40 studies. Spiritual practices, such as prayer, can reduce stress and anxiety. 

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Spirituality and faith can even affect our physical health. According to a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology, religiosity, spirituality and frequency of prayer have been tied to lower cortisol levels.

Religious observance can boost immune system

In a study of more than 1,700 older adults, researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that those who practice religion had better immune function than those who didn’t. The findings persisted even when researchers adjusted for other factors that could impact immune system function, such as depression or chronic illness. The researchers suggest that the shared promotion of positive thoughts or experience of worship and adoration may help explain the physical health benefits.

Here’s how physicians at the Mayo Clinic sum up research on the topic: “Most studies have shown that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes, including greater longevity, coping skills, and health-related quality of life (even during terminal illness) and less anxiety, depression, and suicide.”