Spiritual Health...Does it Impact Longevity and Life Satisfaction?

When considering a person’s health from a holistic perspective, many will look to physical health parameters and overall happiness as indicators of just how healthy one is. Another area to consider, however, is a person’s devotion to religion and spiritual health. I am under the belief that humans consist of mind, body, and spirit; and each of these parts is equally important for leading a healthy and fulfilled life.

It has long been known that social participation and the presence of loved ones in your life can lead to healthier lifestyles and ultimately greater longevity. Many have speculated that religious involvement may lead to an even greater effect as the typical content of religious gatherings speaks against the involvement in potentially harmful activities such as drug usage, alcohol usage, and the like. Studies have found that religious people, in this specific study members of the Greek Orthodox church, were more likely to visit their physicians and maintain healthy life habits. Another interesting aspect associated with religious participation is the psychological principle known as generativity. Generativity is the term used to describe a person having a strong concern for others that results in the desire to serve. This desire to serve and the resulting action oftentimes results in an increased mood of those who serve. Service is a staple of many religions, and psychological literature affirms the notion that serving others can actually serve yourself by increasing your own happiness and health. Being that religious people are twice as likely to volunteer as compared to non-religious, it would make sense to assume that religious people reap the benefits of generativity more than those who do not practice a religion.

Overall, the evidence shows that religious participation can have positive effects on life satisfaction by way of the physical and mental benefits noted in the religious community. The purpose of this post is to highlight this connection as I feel that spirituality is a pillar of health for many. In no way am I trying to push religious involvement for the aforementioned benefits, I only want to provide the evidence as the majority of people practice some form of religion.

References:

Shor, E. and Roelfs, D.J. (2013), The Longevity Effects of Religious and Nonreligious Participation: A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression. JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION, 52: 120-145. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12006

Joannes El. Chliaoutakis, Ismini Drakou, Charalambos Gnardellis, Sofia Galariotou, Helene Carra, Myrsini Chliaoutaki, Greek Christian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Lifestyle: Could It Become a Pattern of Health-Related Behavior?,Preventive Medicine, Volume 34, Issue 4,2002,Pages 428-435,ISSN 0091-7435,https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.2001.1001.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743501910011)