Religion and Your Health

Religion and faith have positive effects on people's health. Base on numerous studies and over 400 reviews, faith and religion exert positive health benefits including protection from illness, coping with illness, faster recovery, lower rates of depression and suicide, less loneliness less alcohol consumption and drug abuse.

There is association between longevity and being a churchgoer. The report of Health Benefits of Christian Faith reported that regular church attendees had life expectancy of up to 14 years longer than those who did not attend services.

Research has shown that religious people live longer because they are more likely to adopt life styles that promote healthful living. High level of religious involvement promotes a better health status because it may discourage high-risk health behaviour such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption or it may encourage positive lifestyle abstinence from alcohol, smoking etc.

Confession and counselling are Religious activities that also help release emotional distress. In some religions members are encourage to make regular confession and others provide counselling which help unburden congregates which results into reduction in emotional stress-levels.

Again, people who regularly attend religious services have larger and denser social networks to provide them with emotional support and other forms of assistance than less frequent attendees.

Another spiritual benefits of religion is that it fosters good emotional health. The meditative and prayer aspect of church services lower stress-levels. Churchgoers have better emotional health because sermons are often based on forgiveness, love, peaceful co-existence with neighbours, optimism and perseverance. All these when put into practice help ensure positive outlook in life.

And positive perspective in life influences immune functions and other physiological factors that influence health. Positive outlook helps cope with stress and gives one feelings of self-worth and confidence in the ability to control one's own affairs and destiny.

In addition religion promotes good mental health. Church services propagates the need to show gratitude by giving thanks. And believe in a higher power has helped many people cope with serious illness. There are even testimonies of divine healing through faith in a higher power.

That religion has a positive impact on health status of an individual cannot be over emphasized. Religion means different things to different people. While some go to church in search of salvation, others attend church services in order to cope with tough situations and serious illness. There are also those who are there because of the larger and denser social network it provides. Whatever your reasons are go and get religion. It can prolong your life. 

Written by Rita