Why Life Purpose and Spirituality Are Important
There is a growing body of evidence indicating that spiritual practices, such as prayer or meditation, are associated with better health. Harvard professor Anne Harrington also argues that spirituality is important to health because:
- It promotes a healthy lifestyle and provides good community
- Contemplative practices reduce stress
- Belief is a healing power
Because the search for life purpose often involves connection with others and contemplative practices, much of this research also applies there.
Support and Community
With respect to physical health, relationships offer support that buffers the effects of stress and isolation. The health benefits of social support have been established in literally thousands of studies throughout the past 25 years.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University researched the relationship between religious participation and health in an epidemiological study of 90,000 persons. They found that people who attended church less than once a month doubled and even tripled their risk of death due to arteriosclerotic heart disease, pulmonary emphysema, cirrhosis of the liver, suicide, and cancers of the rectum and colon as compared to those who attended more regularly.
Contemplative Practices
In a study at Duke University, patients who were being prayed for had significantly fewer complications and better recoveries than did those in the control group.
Much research indicates that meditative practices have a positive impact on health, particularly in reducing stress and its damaging effects. Andrew Newberg, a professor of radiology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, has captured images showing that brain activity changes during meditation. These images help explain how changes in the brain during meditation relate to positive changes in immune function, pulmonary function, blood pressure, and heart functioning.
The research of Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin Madison also demonstrates that meditators have more activity in the left prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is identified with increased well-being. This effect lasts beyond meditation sessions. Davidson believes that meditation is a way to learn happiness and enjoy the health benefits that come with a positive mindframe.
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