Health
Pray for Longevity
Religion may be good for the eternal soul but it also seems to help keep you here on Earth a little longer. A new study finds your odds of living longer are 28 percent greater if you attend some type of religious meeting each week -- and that's even after factoring in health and social risk factors, such as smoking, age, gender and alcohol use.
The study, published in the July edition of the Journal of Gerontology, looks at interviews with some 4,000 people, 64 and older. Researchers say it confirms results of a 28-year West Coast survey of 5,000 that found the death risk went down by 23 percent for those who attend religious services frequently.
Co-author Dr. David Larson, of the National Institute for Healthcare Research, says past studies have linked religious attendance with lower blood pressure, fewer strokes and better compliance with medication regimes, which can contribute to longer lives. Researchers also say a strong faith helps you cope better with life stresses, such as health problems that crop up as age.
The survival link is greater for women, who have a 35 percent lower risk of death overall, compared to men, at 17 percent. The researchers say this validates other studies that found women tend to pray more often than men and rate religion as an important part of their lives.
Read our detailed feature 99 Steps to 100.
The study, published in the July edition of the Journal of Gerontology, looks at interviews with some 4,000 people, 64 and older. Researchers say it confirms results of a 28-year West Coast survey of 5,000 that found the death risk went down by 23 percent for those who attend religious services frequently.
Co-author Dr. David Larson, of the National Institute for Healthcare Research, says past studies have linked religious attendance with lower blood pressure, fewer strokes and better compliance with medication regimes, which can contribute to longer lives. Researchers also say a strong faith helps you cope better with life stresses, such as health problems that crop up as age.
The survival link is greater for women, who have a 35 percent lower risk of death overall, compared to men, at 17 percent. The researchers say this validates other studies that found women tend to pray more often than men and rate religion as an important part of their lives.
Read our detailed feature 99 Steps to 100.
