Discover how integrating spiritual faith into your daily life can boost your health and extend your longevity in this enlightening episode of Next Act Ninjas. Host Rachael Van Pelt dives deep into the emerging science that shows a consistent spiritual practice—whether through traditional worship, mindfulness meditation, or contemplative nature walks—can significantly enhance emotional resilience, reduce stress, and even lower mortality risk.
Discover how integrating spiritual faith into your daily life can boost your health and extend your longevity in this enlightening episode of Next Act Ninjas. Host Rachael Van Pelt dives deep into the emerging science that shows a consistent spiritual practice—whether through traditional worship, mindfulness meditation, or contemplative nature walks—can significantly enhance emotional resilience, reduce stress, and even lower mortality risk.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Tune in to explore how blending faith with your wellness strategy can help you live better, age gracefully, and create your best Next Act. Live well, love more, and age less—start your journey to a vibrant, purpose-filled life today.
Chapters
00:00 The Role of Spirituality in Health Longevity
02:14 The Science Behind Spiritual Faith and Longevity
04:50 What We've Learned from Blue Zones
06:25 Stress Management Through Spiritual Practices
09:16 Limitations to Research on Spiritual Faith and Longevity
11:05 Maria's Spiritual Faith Journey
13:26 Start Your Faith Journey Right Where You Are
15:00 The Impact of Strong Core Values on Well-Being
16:04 The Power of Purpose in Your Faith Journey
16:50 Kick Up Your Spiritual Practice
Welcome back to Next Act Ninjas, the number one podcast for mastering your health and wealth longevity. I'm your host, Rachael Van Pelt. And today we have a fascinating topic on the table. How your spiritual faith, whatever that looks like for you, can play a real role in extending health longevity.
This conversation might be new territory if you typically think of optimizing longevity as purely physical or financial. But as more and more scientific research emerges, we're learning that cultivating a sense of spirituality or faith can offer tangible, measurable benefits for both how long you live and how vibrant those years can be.
Let's start first by clarifying what I mean by spiritual faith, though. For some of you, this will involve a traditional practice of prayer, attending religious services, participating in community worship, following a specific doctrine. For others, it might be a more personal practice that isn't tied to religion, but still nurtures your soul. Maybe instead of prayer and worship, it involves mindfulness meditation, contemplative nature walks, and cultivating a deep sense of purpose. The common thread here, though, is a belief in something larger than yourself and an intentional habit of turning inward or upward to reflect on life's bigger questions, to find meaning beyond the everyday grind. It can be as simple as a few minutes of quiet prayer or meditation in the morning, or it can be as structured as regular attendance at a place of worship.
But why does this matter for your health and longevity? we typically focus on eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. All of that's essential, of course, but there's a growing body of evidence that suggests spirituality or faith serves as an additional pillar of healthy living, enhancing everything from your immune function to your emotional resilience. That's why I want to dive into some of the scientific research that backs this up.
One of the best known pieces of evidence comes from a study that was published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2016. This study looked at a large population of women, over 70,000 participants from the Nurse's Health Study, and they found that those women who attended religious meetings or services more than once a week had a significantly lower risk of mortality compared to those who never attended. The difference was striking. This group of women had a 33% lower risk of death. 33%, that's huge. During the 16 years that they followed these women, there were 27% fewer cardiovascular deaths and 21% fewer cancer deaths.
Now it was an observational study, so we have to be careful about claiming direct cause and effect, but it does raise important questions about how community involvement and religious practice might just influence our health. Of course, it's not simply about sitting in a church pew or a synagogue, is it? The additional analyses that they did in this Nurse's Health Study suggests that the reduced mortality had to do with psychosocial benefits because these women also reported feeling more optimistic, less depressed, and simply more supported by their community.
Another cornerstone of research in this area are studies which focus on Seventh-Day Adventists. This religious group is fascinating to scientists because they have a strong faith-based community. They have dietary guidelines. Many are vegetarians or vegans. They refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol. But they also place a great importance on observing the Sabbath or a weekly day of rest for worship and community. Multiple studies over the years have shown that members of this community live notably longer, much longer than the general population, sometimes by as much as a decade. And while part of that is, of course, tied to their better dietary choices and avoidance of harmful substances, their deep-seated religious faith offers additional benefits, like stress reduction and a robust social network. These studies give us much more evidence that faith and community are important. They can lead to real gains in lifespan and wellbeing.
And we also have evidence from the so-called "Blue Zones". These regions of the world are longevity hotspots. They've become famous for having a disproportionately high number of people who live to be 100 years or older. Blue Zones include places like Loma Linda, California, Sardinia, Italy, Nikoya, Costa Rica, and Okinawa, Japan. And their spiritual practices vary greatly. In Loma Linda, you'll find a big Seventh-Day Adventist population. In Sardinia, you'll find a highly religious rural population, a population of shepherds mostly. In Okinawa, you'll find people who prioritize finding a deep sense of purpose, something they call "ikigai". And they also venerate their elders and ancestors much more deeply. So while not all Blue Zones share the same form of spirituality or religiosity, they do all tend to have strong community bonds and a sense of higher purpose or meaning. In other words, Blue Zones, just give us more evidence to suggest that faith and spirituality are core aspects of longevity, even if it manifests differently across cultures.
Now, one of the key reasons that I bring this up here at Next Act Ninjas is that many of us, especially as we transition into retirement, are looking for ways to enhance our overall well-being. We want to reduce stress, don't we? Stay motivated, find meaning. But as we get older, stress hits us from all directions. We find ourselves caring for aging parents, grieving loss of loved ones, or just struggling with loss of identity as we step away from those careers. In these times of transition, I think faith and spiritual growth can be a guiding north star in our life. Because deep faith gives us this place to focus our attention, beyond the day-to-day worries, the things that blow us off course. And spiritual maturity just reminds us that there's more to life than what we might be worried about at the moment.
Now, speaking of stress, let's talk about how spiritual practice might affect our stress. Researchers have long studied how stress impacts our physiology. We know that constant stress is linked to chronic inflammation. It's linked to compromised immune function and it underlies most age-related chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. But the good news is, practices like prayer, meditation, communal worship, all those things can help regulate our stress response. Those activities help lower the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn can reduce wear and tear on our body over time. And that helps to delay the onset or slow the progression of many chronic diseases we deal with as we age. In other words, spiritual or religious practices act like a shield. They absorb a lot of life's inevitable stressors before they translate into physical decline.
Of course, the social aspect also deserves some attention. You may have noticed that one of the consistent findings among the studies I talked about was social connectivity. People who feel closely connected to their community just tend to live longer. This is a very important benefit of spirituality or religion. Whether it's a weekly church service that you attend or Bible study group or a supportive online network, simply having people around you who share your beliefs and values often means that you're getting emotional support and accountability. You're more likely to have someone check in on you if something happens. And you may have opportunities to volunteer or perform acts of service, things that can foster a profound sense of purpose. This social dimension, I think it becomes much more important as we get older because our other social networks are starting to shrink. We stop working, children move away, we start losing friends and family. And I think this is where faith-based community steps in nicely.
Of course, we need to be careful when interpreting studies in this area because many of them are observational. In observational studies, researchers simply look at people in real world settings as opposed to randomizing them to different groups. Because of this, it's challenging to prove a direct cause and effect relationship between spirituality and longevity. People who attend religious services just might differ from non-attenders in ways like healthier lifestyles overall, or higher socioeconomic status, or more stable family structure. These are all factors that can influence lifespan independent of faith. Now, some studies try to adjust for this statistically, but it's nearly impossible to account for every variable.
In other words, we just have to be cautious not to read a headline and conclude that simply going to church once a week guarantees we're going to live 10 extra years. It's obviously much more nuanced than that. However, the consistency of these findings across different populations and different faith traditions does strongly suggest that there's something beneficial going on. Maybe it's partly the social bonds, partly healthier behaviors like avoiding tobacco or heavy drinking, partly stress reduction, and partly the sense of purpose that arises from that deep spiritual or religious commitment. So while the studies don't offer this perfect causal relationship, they do collectively paint a picture that spirituality or faith correlates with better health outcomes. And that just tells me we can't neglect this aspect of lifestyle longevity.
I'm going to share a quick story about one of my former clients, I'll call her Maria. She struggled with isolation after retirement. She had been a very social person at work. And when she retired, she felt this acute loss of identity and purpose. Now, fortunately, a good friend of hers invited her to attend a small group at her church. At first, Maria just saw this as an opportunity to get out of the house. But over time, she found that this heartfelt discussion that she had with the women, the shared values that they had, that it resonated deeply with her. In fact, the fellowship she found there quickly went much deeper than any of the relationships that she'd had at work.
And then Maria started to bring that good feeling home with her. She started to practice a little prayer and quiet contemplation every morning. She took a few minutes to center herself and focus on gratitude on a regular basis. Before long, she noticed that she was feeling much less stressed and more optimistic about her Next Act. She also felt more motivated to take care of her physical health, something that she'd been neglecting for years. So her blood pressure improved. She even got fitter because she started to exercise and eat more mindfully. That's when I met her. That's when she hired me to level-up her healthspan even more.
Now, is it purely the faith element or is it the social support or the mindset shift or all of the above? Most likely all of it plays a role, right? Regardless, her renewed sense of belonging and purpose had measurable benefits for her health, and it motivated her to take additional steps. The way she put it to me, she said, "It may have started out merely as a social outing, but my relationships with the women at church, my relationship with God turned into the major keystone of my life. I will never give that up because it's priceless." Don't you just love that?
Now for those of you who aren't involved in an organized religion, don't worry. You don't have to run out and join a church, a synagogue, a temple. Spirituality can start right where you're at. Maybe you'll find it in nature, during a walk in the woods where you feel more connected to the earth and its rhythms. Maybe you'll find it keeping a gratitude journal, where you list three things every day that you're thankful for. Or maybe, you explore something like guided meditation or breathwork sessions that help you to pause and refocus on what truly matters to you. The real key here is simply to cultivate a consistent practice that quiets your monkey mind, lifts your spirit, nurtures hope, and aligns you with a sense of purpose.
This is where I started after I'd neglected my own spiritual journey for many years. Daily practice became a total game-changer for me. In fact, my simple, solitary practice eventually led me back to church, my faith, and fellowship with an amazingly supportive community. But that's a story for another day. Let's just say that like Maria, I see my faith journey as priceless. It has markedly improved my mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. And for that reason, it has become a non-negotiable part of my Next Act.
Which leads me to another aspect of faith that I think might be relevant, the benefits of certain core values and moral behaviors such as kindness, forgiveness, compassion. These qualities, which I think are often encouraged in various religious and spiritual teachings, they have psychosocial benefits that ripple out to your physical well-being. For instance, holding onto anger and resentment can elevate your stress hormones and worsen chronic inflammation. On the other hand, practicing forgiveness can alleviate emotional burdens and reduce stress, and that's hugely beneficial to your metabolism, hormones, cardiovascular system. Compassion and altruism are also linked to better mental health. They promote positivity and social connectivity. In other words, if your faith-based practice leads to more forgiveness, kindness, compassion, that's just one more way in which your overall health and longevity may be improved.
But I want to circle back to this idea of purpose because I find it especially relevant for those of us looking to create our best Next Act. A big reason some people spiral into poor health after retiring is that they lose their sense of purpose, the one that their job provided for so many years. They wake up in the morning without a clear reason to get out of bed, leading to boredom or even depression, and that can increase the risk of unhealthy behaviors. Spiritual practice or religious engagement often fills that void. It gives you a reason to remain active, connected, thinking about something or someone other than yourself. You might find yourself volunteering more, teaching classes, helping with community programs, or simply focused outward and contributing in other ways to society.
It doesn't matter whether you've been a person of faith for many years or completely new to the concept. It's never too late to kick it up a notch or start fresh. Explore how faith and spiritual growth could enhance your life. If you don't know where to begin, I suggest starting with small steps. Maybe that just means taking five minutes at the start of your day for quiet contemplation. Notice your breathing, let your thoughts settle, focus on gratitude or a simple prayer. If you're open to it, maybe a community experience is in your future. Try attending a religious service or joining a small group to see how it feels. You could even explore one-on-one conversation with a faith leader or counselor who can help guide you.
As you integrate spiritual practices into your life, pay attention to the shifts in how you feel, both emotionally and physically. Do you notice a drop in tension? Are you sleeping better? Are you making healthier choices around food and exercise? Are your relationships improving? These changes are going to be subtle at first, but they gradually accumulate over time. So keep reflecting on your progress.
Remember, living longer is only part of the equation. Living better is what we're after. Spiritual or faith-based practices can improve your long-term quality of life. I think you're going to find that it fosters inner peace, resilience, a sense of fulfillment, all of which are hard to measure, but definitely can be felt in your day-to-day.
Here at Next Act Ninjas, I believe that a thriving Next Act isn't just about healthspan and wealthspan, it's about crafting a life that's infused with purpose and joy and fulfillment. A life that's aligned with your deepest core values. So spiritual faith in whatever form resonates with you is a critical part of that journey. It's going to help you cope with stress, find community, maintain a hopeful outlook during transitions and, as an added bonus, it just might improve your longevity.
That's it for today. Thank you for joining me. Be sure to share today's episode with someone you love and hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. I'm always here to help you create your best Next Act. You'll find a link to connect with me in the show notes. Until next time, live well, love more, age less, my friends.