{"id":1041,"date":"2026-06-04T17:40:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T17:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=1041"},"modified":"2026-06-04T17:40:40","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T17:40:40","slug":"7-ways-being-religious-can-improve-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=1041","title":{"rendered":"7 ways being religious can improve your health"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

People who regularly participate in religious communities tend to live longer, healthier lives. They are less likely to struggle with addiction and substance abuse, die prematurely and they experience lower rates of cardiovascular disease.<\/p>\n

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Those are among the findings of a sweeping new report released today by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University and Duke University. The report analyzed 876 high-quality studies that all found either negative or positive relationship between religious participation and health. <\/p>\n

The researchers found consistent evidence threaded through the studies that the benefits of religious involvement outweigh their harms across 15 measures of physical health \u2014 including cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer\u2019s disease, addiction and longevity, among others. The report found that positive findings outnumbered negative ones by a ratio of 7 to 1 in physical health and 10 to 1 in mental health. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat kind of ratio is almost never seen in the social sciences,\u201d said Loren Marks, a professor of family life at Brigham Young University and one of the report\u2019s authors.<\/p>\n

Faith traditions\u2019 health codes, strong social connections and beliefs that encourage the view of their bodies as sacred and worthy of care all play a role in these outcomes. <\/p>\n

For example, nearly all of the highest-quality studies on smoking, 98% of them, found that religious individuals were less likely to smoke. In over 90% of the top substance abuse and addiction studies, fewer religion people struggled with these issues.<\/p>\n

While much of these outcomes can be attributed to health codes, research from Harvard University suggested that faith-based 12-step programs can be more effective than cognitive behavioral therapy.<\/p>\n

The term \u201creligious involvement,\u201d used by researchers, refers to people who \u201care highly committed\u201d to a faith tradition, Marks explained, and attend a house of worship weekly or more over the course of the years. Those who attend only occasionally don\u2019t typically experience the same positive effects. And the benefits are unique to religion as opposed to any social structure. <\/p>\n

\u201cHigh involvement in a faith community is connected with distinct benefits above and beyond other social involvements including political party or social clubs,\u201d according to Marks. \u201cWhat makes religion powerful is that it has elements of beliefs, practices and community \u2014 you get all three if you\u2019re actively involved.\u201d <\/p>\n

Marks cautions that religion is not a silver-bullet for a human\u2019s mental and physical well-being. In some cases religion can negatively impact health \u2014 for instance, when a small religious community experiences a measles outbreak due to lack of vaccinations.<\/p>\n

\u201cReligion should not preclude competent medical and mental health professionals,\u201d Marks said. \u201cIt should be a partnership, not an exclusive commitment.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Wheatley report is based on a selection of studies in the \u201cHandbook of Religion and Health,\u201d by professors from Duke and Harvard universities that\u2019s been tracking religion and health studies for two decades. The report on physical health follows the one on mental health (released in May) and is part of the \u201cReligion and Human Flourishing\u201d series.<\/p>\n

Wheatley\u2019s report comes at a time when suicide rates in the U.S. have climbed over the past two decades and millions of Americans report that they lack close friendships and meaningful social connections. Physical inactivity too has become a major concern; the nation has reached one of the highest inactivity rates in the world at 40%, the report said. This contributes to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. <\/p>\n

Against this backdrop, religion may offer some answers for both citizens and policymakers who are trying to strengthen the well-being on both individual and community levels. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing here is something almost unprecedented in terms of a potent source for health,\u201d Marks said. <\/p>\n

Mental health<\/h3>\n

The evidence across the studies suggests that people who are religious tend to have better mental and emotional well-being. The studies that found a positive connection between religion and mental health \u2014 961 of them \u2014 significantly outnumber those studies that show harm (101). These positive effects are seen in lower risk of suicide, healthier ways of dealing with stress, less substance abuse and addiction, and greater feelings of hope, purpose and satisfaction with life. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe need other people like we need air,\u201d Marks said. \u201cSocial involvement is very important in any context.\u201d <\/p>\n

There are some exceptions to this pattern. Religion seems to be impacting bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in a negative way, some studies showed. \u201cThese two mental health disorders have significant biological components that religion is not as helpful with,\u201d said Marks, noting that the studies are inconclusive.<\/p>\n

Disease prevention and detection<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re religious, you\u2019re more likely to take action to prevent disease, get recommended screenings and follow treatment plans as suggested by doctors. <\/p>\n

This preventative behavior, however, depends on the situation. The link between religion and disease prevention is not as strong in the studies as other aspects of health: 60 studies found positive links between religiosity and these behaviors, while 33 found negative links. <\/p>\n

In some cases, studies found that religious people disregard medical advice relying solely on their belief as a cure. Some religious groups are less likely to get vaccines, which can lead to disease outbreaks. <\/p>\n

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While on the other hand, \u201cspiritually framed health messages\u201d can improve rates of cancer screenings. <\/p>\n

The report says that \u201creligious healing should be viewed as complementary to, rather than a replacement for, medical care.\u201d <\/p>\n

Diet, weight and exercise <\/h3>\n

Many religions prescribe health codes: Jews follow kosher laws, Muslims follow halal laws and some Christian groups like the Seventh-day Adventists and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prohibit harmful substances like tobacco, alcohol and drugs. Many Buddhists and Hindus also favor vegetarian diets. The religious and cultural guidelines are often connected. <\/p>\n

Fasting is a common religious practice and has recently gone more mainstream with the popularity of intermittent fasting. \u201cModern clinical research has begun catching up with what religious traditions have practiced for millennia: periodic fasting appears to trigger cellular repair processes, improve insulin sensitivity, and lower cardiovascular risk,\u201d according to the report. <\/p>\n

But sometimes the sociality of faith communities can also spur unhealthy habits, the report said, like eating sugary and high-cholesterol foods at social gatherings.<\/p>\n

Heart disease<\/h3>\n

In addition to dietary health codes that can alleviate the risks of heart disease, religiosity is connected to personality traits that researchers say support cardiovascular health. For instance, people who are agreeable and conscientious \u2014 qualities that people of faith tend to want to cultivate \u2014are less likely to develop heart disease.<\/p>\n

Some links are less direct. Religious people tend to have stronger marriages, and married people tend to have better heart health. <\/p>\n

For unmarried men especially, religion and the social connections and support networks it often provides can help reduce loneliness and offer protection against heart disease, according to the report. Same goes for high blood pressure and risk of strokes.<\/p>\n

Alzheimer\u2019s disease and dementia<\/h3>\n

About 28 out of 38 studies on the connection between Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia and religion find that religion can help with those diseases. <\/p>\n

The reasons could include volunteering and other social activities that improve cognitive functions, particularly for older people, the report said. <\/p>\n

Healthier diets and a more active lifestyle, often promoted by faith communities, are also associated with reduced risks of dementia. <\/p>\n

Cancer and chronic pain<\/h3>\n

Research over the past 40 years generally finds that people who are more religious tend to have lower cancer rates, especially in groups with clear health rules about diet, alcohol and tobacco. One major long-term study found that active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had lower cancer death rates than the general population, but similar benefits were also seen in other people who were non-smoking, physically active and regularly attended religious services. More recent studies show a similar pattern, with most finding that higher religiosity is linked to lower cancer rates.<\/p>\n

When it comes to chronic pain, religious people might see it through a more positive lens, interpreting it as something that can lead to personal or spiritual growth. This way of thinking can make pain feel more manageable and meaningful. <\/p>\n

Substance abuse<\/h3>\n

Ninety-four percent of studies found religion correlated with lower substance abuse and addiction rates, while only about only 2% are tied to higher rates.<\/p>\n

Faith communities tend to support stronger family structures and closer parental involvement, which are both linked to lower risk of addiction. <\/p>\n

Beyond prevention, religion can also support recovery through built-in networks and giving individuals a safer social circle during recovery. <\/p>\n

Some research even suggests that religious experiences may activate brain reward systems similar to addictive substances, which could help reduce cravings. <\/p>\n

\u201cEven if that were the only benefit, that benefit is so significant and striking that we would, well, pay close attention even if that were the only benefit,\u201d Marks said. <\/p>\n

Policy recommendations<\/h3>\n

The report\u2019s authors recommend that health care providers and social service agencies offer faith-based support as an option for those who want it, and partner with religious organizations on issues like addiction and suicide prevention. They also advocate for honoring religious freedom in policy decisions. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen examples where medical professionals \u2014 wisely utilized, in a nonpartisan kind of way \u2014 and a faith community work for better community health,\u201d Marks said. \u201cAnd when that\u2019s done well, everyone wins. Public health wins, medicine wins, and the faith community wins in terms of having healthier and stronger congregants.\u201d <\/p>\n

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What are religion’s benefits on physical health? New study from Wheatley Institute at BYU and Duke University finds evidence that religion can make you healthier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1040,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faith"],"yoast_head":"\n7 ways being religious can improve your health - American Movers Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=1041\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 ways being religious can improve your health - American Movers Hub\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What are religion's benefits on physical health? 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