As people age and get closer to the end of their lives, it is natural to embrace spirituality and religion more. But did you know that living a spiritual life can actually increase both the quantity and quality of life for human beings? 

In fact, studies have shown that people with spiritual lives show lower rates of stress, depression, suicide, and cardiovascular disease. In general, their immune systems also seem to work better than those without spirituality in their lives. 

This may be attributed to the way spirituality allows people to relinquish life’s stressors to forces larger than themselves. Spiritual people simply don’t have to carry the burdens of fear, uncertainty, and anxiety all by themselves.

Benefits of Spirituality for Seniors

A recent study examined the science relating to religion and health and found some interesting results. They sampled 5,449 middle-aged Americans (40-65 years old) and examined their interaction between stress, longevity, and church attendance. 

Overall, churchgoers in the study were healthier, better educated, and economically better off than the average American. They were more likely to have higher levels of educational attainment, lower levels of poverty, increased physical activity, reduced rates of smoking and drinking, and a healthier eating index. They were also 46% less likely to die in follow-up periods than non-churchgoers.