We all understand the importance of physical activity, eating well and keeping our minds engaged to help improve our overall health and well-being. But the link between spirituality and good health has been less clear. Science is beginning to take a closer look at spirituality’s role in health and aging. Several studies over the past few years have shown that as we grow older, we benefit from focusing our attention on beauty, the meaning of life, the things that connect us, and our place in the world, concepts often associated with spirituality.
What does it mean to be spiritual?
Spirituality is a very broad tent. To some, it means attending religious services regularly and practicing the traditions of an established religion. To others, it could mean simply being still and allowing the universe to speak to them in that silence – often referred to as meditation. However you define spirituality, it appears to have a positive effect on one’s health.
Science takes a look at the spiritual link to health
In a study conducted at the University of Missouri, researchers gathered people from different faith traditions – including Buddhists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and Protestants – to see if there were any differences in health outcomes. They discovered that increased spirituality was “significantly related” to better mental health, regardless of what form the spirituality took.
In a collaborative study between professors at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, researchers reported a direct correlation between the importance of spirituality in a person’s life and the thickness of their cerebral cortex – a part of the brain responsible for sensory perception, language and emotion processing.
An article published in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society, looked at several published studies on the topic of spirituality’s effect on health and found a link between high levels of religious or spiritual beliefs and better physical health among patients with cancer.
Nontraditional spirituality
One of the most popular forms of nontraditional spirituality is meditation. Because of this, it is getting a lot of attention from the scientific community. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, conducted two studies to discover what, if any, effect meditation had on the brain. What she discovered is that meditation created physical changes in the brain; specifically, the hippocampus – responsible for learning and memory – grew larger. She discusses her findings in detail in this TED talk.
Meditation and dementia
A study at UCLA discovered that a three-month course of yoga and meditation helped minimize the cognitive issues that often precede Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia – in fact, it was more effective than memory enhancement exercises in improving visual-spatial memory skills and decreasing depression and anxiety.
Increasing spirituality in your life
If you are a member of a religious organization and attend services regularly, you may not need any impetus to increase your spiritual participation. However, not all of us grew up in a religious tradition, so we may find it challenging to suddenly become “spiritual.” One of the easiest ways to reap the benefits of spirituality is simply to become still, which may be easier said than done for those of us who are Type A’s and feel that we’re not accomplishing anything unless we’re doing something. One of the easiest ways to become still is to focus on your breathing. Become conscious of each inhale and exhale. Start to breathe in more deeply. Get to the point where the length of the inhale and exhale are approximately the same. As your breathing becomes balanced, your mind becomes balanced. By focusing on your breath, you’ll discover that the mind shuts off, giving it – and your entire body – a chance to rejuvenate. You’ll go from a human doing to a human being. There are many resources available to help newcomers to meditation – phone apps, websites, and even Meditation Meetups for those who like group activities.
Taking care of ourselves spiritually can help us approach life more positively and build a resilience that can help us through many of life’s challenges, helping us to age more healthfully.
