Health & Mental Wellness

Can Spirituality Positively Impact Our Health and Mental Wellness? 

Why do people often turn to spirituality in times of deep uncertainty and pain? Spirituality offers a framework for understanding life’s challenges by reminding us that we only feel a part of something grander than ourselves.

For centuries, both religious and secular communities have explored spirituality to cultivate a deeper understanding of their holistic selves. They’ve pursued this through practices such as prayer, rituals, meditation, and mindfulness exercises. Today, researchers and medical practitioners are also advocating for the inclusion of spirituality in healthcare conversations, as they believe it can significantly benefit whole-patient care.

A 2022 study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that a focus on spirituality in healthcare led to improved health outcomes and patient care. Tyler VanderWeele, one of the researchers, shared, “Focusing on spirituality in health care means caring for the whole person, not just their disease.”

A 2020 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology showed that spirituality improved students’ psychological well-being and conferred health benefits on them. In addition, the McKinsey Health Institute’s 2022 survey of 41,000 people from different generations in 26 countries found that the vast majority considered spiritual health to be “somewhat” to “extremely important.” While a practical, scientific approach to health and mental wellness is understood and essential, there is clear evidence that humans recognize spirituality as another dimension of a holistic solution that should not be ignored.

How can integrating moments of mindfulness and spirituality into your daily routine enhance your overall sense of well-being and connection to the world around you?