DOES SPIRITUALITY EXTEND LIFE?
Learn 7 Key Principles to Nurture Longevity Through Deeper Connection.
DR. SRINI PILLAY
2025

What is spirituality?
Harold J. Koenig, a psychiatrist, defined spirituality as being “distinguished from all other things—humanism, values, morals, and mental health—by its connection to that which is sacred, the transcendent.” He added, “The transcendent is that which is outside of the self, and yet also within the self—and in Western traditions is called God, Allah, HaShem, or a Higher Power, and in Eastern traditions may be called Brahman, manifestations of Brahman, Buddha, Dao, or ultimate truth/reality.” In that sense, spirituality and religion may be interconnected. Still, they don’t have to be if a person experiences a connection to a nameless “transcendence”, either abstractly, or as it pertains to others or nature.
Evidence supporting the connection to longevity
Recent research has increasingly highlighted the influence of spirituality and religiosity on a range of health outcomes linked to longevity. These include reduced risks of mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and suicide, as well as slower cognitive decline and healthy aging, which contribute to greater overall longevity.
An analysis of 63 rigorously conducted studies found that 75% demonstrated a positive association between spirituality/religiosity (S/R) and greater longevity, while only 5% reported negative findings. Thus, an overwhelming preponderance of studies support this association. Two meta-analyses and a systematic review further supported these results, highlighting particularly strong effects of frequent attendance at religious services. Frequent attendees experienced an average increase in survival of 30%, 37%, and 43%, respectively—an outcome that is strikingly comparable to, or even better than, the effects of many medical interventions.
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What are the components of spirituality that connect to healthy longevity?
The main mechanisms that connect spirituality/religiosity to longevity are social support, stress reduction, psychological well-being, positive coping, life meaning, healthy norms, and forgiveness.
Social Support: Social support biologically supports longevity through multiple pathways. It reduces stress by dampening the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system activity, lowering cortisol levels and inflammation, which are linked to chronic diseases and mortality. Additionally, social bonds stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, enhancing cardiovascular health, promoting oxytocin release, and fostering immune regulation, all of which contribute to improved health and extended life expectancy.
Stress Reduction: Spiritual practices like meditation and prayer reduce chronic stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering inflammation, and improving immune function. Managing stress effectively mitigates the risks of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and other stress-related illnesses such as cancer, supporting a longer lifespan.
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Psychological Well-Being: Psychological well-being is linked to lower mortality through several pathways. It encourages healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, better sleep, and reduced smoking, while also boosting self-efficacy and adaptive coping strategies to overcome health barriers. Additionally, well-being enhances cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune functions, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like coronary heart disease. It also buffers the physiological impacts of stress, helping to mitigate disparities in health outcomes. Systematic reviews show that individuals with higher well-being, purpose in life, strong social connections, and optimism experience reduced mortality risk.
Positive Coping: Spiritual frameworks provide tools for managing challenges and adversity through optimism, gratitude, and faith. These coping mechanisms reduce the physiological and psychological impacts of stress and trauma, contributing to better health and a longer life. In addition, there are strong linkages between optimism and greater engagement in healthy behaviors. Also, more optimistic individuals may experience less extreme emotional reactivity to, and faster recovery from acute stressors. Also, greater optimism is associated with healthier cardiovascular, metabolic, immune, and pulmonary biomarker profiles.
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Life Meaning: A sense of purpose and meaning in life, often derived from spiritual beliefs, motivates individuals to engage in healthier behaviors and adopt a proactive approach to well-being. Studies show that having a strong life purpose is linked to reduced mortality and greater longevity. Purpose in life has long been hypothesized to be an important determinant of physical health and vitality. Also, one study reported significant associations between purpose life and neuroendocrine and immune markers including salivary cortisol and the proinflammatory cytokine sIL-6r, particularly among those over the age of 75 years. In addition, purpose in life was positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and negatively with waist/hip ratios. Purpose in life also has been shown to be negatively related to inflammatory markers in another group of older women.
Healthy Norms: Spirituality often promotes norms such as reduced substance use, healthier diets, and regular exercise, which are critical for preventing chronic diseases. These positive lifestyle behaviors enhance physical health and increase life expectancy.
Forgiveness: Practicing forgiveness lowers stress, anxiety, and anger, reducing the negative physiological effects associated with these emotions. Forgiveness has been linked to better cardiovascular health, improved immune function, and a longer lifespan. In addition, forgiveness is positively correlated with better physical health and health behaviors and with physiological properties indicative of better health, including fewer health symptoms, improved cardiovascular responses to stress, and decreased diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Srini Pillay
7-Step Checklist for Longevity Through Spiritual Practices
1. Build Connections
Join spiritual or community groups to strengthen social bonds and emotional health.
2. Reduce Stress
Practice meditation or prayer daily to lower stress and improve immune function.
3. Foster Well-Being
Focus on optimism and gratitude to boost mental health and resilience.
4. Cope Positively
Use faith and reflection to navigate challenges and maintain balance.
5. Find Purpose
Pursue meaningful goals that align with your values to enhance vitality.
6. Adopt Healthy Habits
Practice balanced diets and regular exercise.
7. Forgive Often
Let go of resentment to reduce stress and improve heart health.
By embracing these spiritual practices, you can cultivate deeper connections, reduce stress, and foster a sense of purpose, paving the way for a healthier, longer, and more fulfilling life.