Holy Health: How Church Makes You Healthier and Happier

Who would have thought that church adds six to seven years to your life, on average? Whether it’s church, synagogue, mosque, or temple, literally thousands of scientific studies confirm that people who regularly attend worship services are more likely to live longer, have better physical health, better mental health, higher educational attainment, higher incomes, stronger marriages, stronger families, and/or a greater sense of meaning and purpose. They’re less likely to get heart disease, cancer, and a host of other ailments. They’re not as prone to depression, anxiety, suicide, divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, or crime and delinquency. Their kids are more apt to be well adjusted and get better grades. And church lifts poor and minorities.

What is it about prayer and worship that so improve health, happiness, and longevity? There are actual physical effects within the brain, benefitting both mind and body. Peppered with inspiring stories of transformed lives, Holy Health presents the faith factor’s many pathways to better health and well-being, and how you can take full advantage.