In almost every culture around the world, faith, health and healing all go hand-in-hand. Here in the United States and other Western nations, faith seems to have taken a back seat to technology and medicine. But times are changing and we are seeing spirituality and health coming together more and more in the Western World. More people are taking faith and health more seriously and there are lots of studies showing positive outcomes and benefits both physically and emotionally. Let’s look at some of the findings.
What Does Research Tell Us about Spirituality and Health?
Research has shown that people who are more religious or spiritual or use their spirituality or religious beliefs have many physical and mental benefits. As we age, it appears we use prayer more than any other alternative therapy to cope with stressful life events. Some experts believe that every thought we have influences our body and mind. So, if we rely on faith, perhaps we will have better health or at least be able to cope with negative health in better ways.
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Some studies show that people who attend church or ministries more often visit the doctor less, score higher on tests measuring psychological well-being and cope better with stress. An interesting research finding is that older women are more grateful to God than older men and because of this, they experience greater stress-buffering health effects due to their gratitude. Prayer has also been associated with better health, less hypertension, less stress even during difficult times, more positive feelings, less depression, and greater overall psychological well-being.
Spirituality has also been linked to enhanced immune functions and better health outcomes with arthritis. It helps people cope with chronic illness, reduced blood pressure, and has positive effects on anxiety and depression. In fact, some studies have found that older people with a strong sense of spirituality are less likely to be depressed. This speaks of a connection between belief and personal meaning and well-being. On the other side of the coin, people with weak belief systems, show more symptoms of depression.
Differences between Religion and Spirituality
The word “religion” derives from the Latin word religare, which means to “tie fast” or “bind together”. It can be defined as a specific set of beliefs, values and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. Religion is a subset of a larger rubric called spirituality. On the other hand, spirituality is concerned with things of the human spirit. It attempts to handle big picture questions like meaning and existence. Being spiritual means thinking, wondering, and exploring aspects of reality, morals, values, and meanings within our lives. It appears that the earlier we have spiritual or religious experiences, especially when they are handed down to us by our parents, influences us throughout our lives all the way into old age. Can it be that our trust in our parents is translated into faith in a higher power?
Final Words on Spirituality and Health
Spirituality, faith and health are intimately connected in a multitude of ways. Research has taken this relationship seriously and has found many physical and emotional health benefits for people who are either religious or spiritual. Those, on the other hand, who have weak beliefs may not experience these benefits. It seems that as we age, we search for meaning more. Maybe finding meaning in later life is spirituality. Either way, our health and faith appear to be uniquely related.
(NOTE: Interested in learning more about Employee Wellness? Checkout my Employee Wellness CEUs on CEU Academy and try a FREE CEU today!)
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