Want to be less stressed and live longer? Vanderbilt study says go to church
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--New research conducted by Vanderbilt University's Center for Research on Men's Health (CRMH) found people who attend services at a church, synagogue or mosque are less stressed and live longer lives.
Research by social behavioral scientist and CRMH associate director Marino Bruce and other researchers finds middle-aged adults --ages 40 to 65-- who attend worship services reduce their mortality risk by 55 percent.
Of the over 5,000 people studied, churchgoers who attended a service at least once a year comprised 64% of participants. When compared against non-churchgoers, the non-churchgoers had a higher prevalence of high-risk values for 3 of the 10 stress markers.
Churchgoers who attended more than once a week saw benefits in mortality risks. Those attendees showed a 55% reduction in all-cause mortality risk compared with non-churchgoers. The study found non-churchgoers spent more time seeking social support from family, friends, relatives, and neighbors than churchgoers did.
Researchers believe churchgoers showed the decreased risks of stress and mortality due to an association with feelings of compassion, generosity, and a feeling of purpose in life.
