Role of Spirituality on Physical and Mental Health:

*Role of Spirituality on Physical and Mental Health*

Spirituality have a role on human health, since it increase life quality and life satisfaction. A large number of studies have revealed a correlation between religiosity and health.

Religiously active people tend to live longer than those who are not religiously active. A research review of more than 1500 studies has revealed connections between spirituality and health and healing. Some of these studies have found positive impact of religion on a number of determinants of physical health suggesting that religion can positively influence physical health.

A WHO study found less likelihood of suicidal thought and suicidal attempts among people having a religious belongingness. A number of studies had shown that religious and spiritual egagement influences life satisfaction which in turn impacts physical and mental health.

A research by Powell, Shahabi and Thoresen in 2003 has examined association between religion or spirituality and mortality, morbidity, disability or recovery from illness. The outcomes of the research indicated a consistent, prospective and often graded reduction in risk of mortality in healthy participants who were religiously active.

The researchers believe that religion and spirituality pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones and epinephrine (adrenaline) which increase heart rate, protect against cardiovascular disease because they encourage a healthy lifestyle. However, there was no evidence that religion or spirituality slows the advancement of cancer or improves recovery from acute illness.

Source: ourmindfullife

Other researchers have also examined some other variables are assumed to safeguard religiously active people from stress and enhance their well-being. These benefits may flow from a stable, coherent worldview, a sense of hope for long term future, feelings ultimate acceptance and the relaxed meditation of prayer. These variables might also help to explain some other findings among the religiously active, such as a healthier immune functioning, fewer hospital admissions and for AIDS patients, fewer stress hormones and longer survival. These researches have discovered that spirituality has a correlation with physical health and even promote high quality of life. But, how can one make sense of relationship between religious belongingness and physical health and mental health? There may be multitude of explanation for this relationship..

First, religion promotes self-control. Religiously active people therefore, tend to have healthier lifestyles; they smoke and drink much less. between believers.

Second, the existence of social support. In the three major Middle Eastern religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, religious involvement is a communal experience. Religious belongingness provides ample opportunity to the social support network. Religiously active people are there for one another when misfortune strikes.

Moreover, religions encourages marriage, another predictor of health and longevity.

The research review by Koenig in 2009 has analyzed between religion, spirituality and mental health focusing on depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis and substance abuse.While the review consistently identified religious beliefs and practices as strong sources of comfort, hope, and meaning, they were also, in some cases found to be intricately interlinked with neurotic and psychotic disorders. Spirituality or religious beliefs relate with physical and mental health in the way that spiritual can promote self-control which may keep human to behave a good lifestyle whereas healthy lifestyle contribute on maintaining physical health.

Religious beliefs also have long term hope, ultimate acceptance and relaxed meditation of prayer. These feelings can avoid human from depression or lowering sense of guilty when they was depressed. Another feeling that they have is self- acceptance and self-satisfaction, by this feeling, human may see the world from bright side than looking to the dark side. Spiritual or religious beliefs impact and promote human health with its ability to create a meaningful life.Since somebody feels that his life is really worth, he will do everything to keep his life include his health.

Source: received through WhatsApp Message

(Interesting study from Ganis Lintang, AlAzhar University Cairo)

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