People active in the church and who study the Bible appear to have lower blood pressure than people who are less religiously active, according to a new study.
Researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. examined the health and habits of people 65 and older over a 6-year period. They found that people who attended religious services at least once a week showed lower blood pressure readings than folks who attended less often.
Researchers also found that people who tuned into religion programs on television or radio had higher blood pressure than those who did not. Dr. Harold G. Koenig tells OnHealth that finding may be due to the fact that people who resort to broadcasted religious programs may be too old or too sick to leave the house.
"Involvement in the religious community may have very important health benefits," Koenig says. "Religious people cope better with stress," which may explain why they have lower blood pressure, he adds.
The findings arrive when many studies have linked religion to better health. Koenig says he's not recommending doctors to convert or prescribe religion for patients, but to be aware that faith can be a factor in one's health. The study appears in the summer issue of International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine.
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