Religious Music: It's Good for Your Mental Health

For many, belief in religion has become an integral part of life. To add to that, many studies show that believing in a higher power can help lower the risk of depression and other health issues. Yet a recent study zeroes in on the power of religious music and what it can do for your mental health.

According to researchers at Baylor University, older Christians who regularly listen to religious hymns may have decreased anxiety about death and an increased overall satisfaction with life.

"Religion is an important socioemotional resource that has been linked with desirable mental health outcomes among older U.S. adults," the authors stated, via a press release. "This study shows that listening to religious music may promote psychological well-being in later life."

For the study, researchers looked at two waves of the nationwide Religion, Aging and Health Survey of older black and U.S. adults, taken in 2001 and 2004. The population consisted of household residents who were either black or white, non-institutionalized, English speaking and at least 65 years old. All responses were collected from currently practicing Christians, those who used to practice but no longer did so and those who were never affiliated with any religion, composed of an analysis of 1,024 individuals.

All participants were asked how often they listened to religious music or gospel music ranging from "never" to "several times a day." Death anxiety, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and sense of control were measured to show how strongly the respondent agreed with a series of statements. These included, but were not limited to, "I find it hard to face up to the fact that I will die," "These are the best years of my life," "I take a positive attitude toward myself," and "I have a lot of influence over most things that happen in my life."

"Given that religious music is available to most individuals - even those with health problems or physical limitations that might preclude participating in more formal aspects of religious life - it might be a valuable resource for promoting mental health later in the life course," the authors concluded.

What do you think?

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the The Gerontologist.