Religious People May Be Healthier, Less Anxious

Religious People May Be Healthier, Less Anxious

According to The Daily Mail, research from the Health and Safety Laboratory in Stockport reveals that religious individuals may be healthier, overall, than those who are nonreligious. They take fewer sick days, they report lower levels of anxiety and stress, and it appears they also develop thicker brain cortex (according to research from Columbia University) which may be an explanation for their lower risk of depression.

These low levels of stress and anxiety are more likely to remain low if employers respect and accommodate the religious beliefs of their workers, reports the Telegraph, saying it “improved morale, staff retention, and loyalty.”

Overall, religious people simply tend to be happier, Dr. Roxane Gervais reports, and those who regularly attend religious services feel more content and connected to something greater than themselves. “My research shows,” says Gervais, “that religiosity in the workplace may act as a resource, making people more resilient to cope with the many challenges of working life.”



Religious People May Be Healthier, Less Anxious