Life is not a bed of roses. It is full of hardships too, that we have to cope bravely. Whether it is a tough situation at home or a bad day at work, unpredicted health, or financial challenges, we all face these kinds of situations in our lives at some time – and getting angry or depressed is natural.
I believe getting frustrated is not a solution to stressful situations. One needs to stay strong and develop multiple ways to cope with the situation in a positive way. Therapy, counseling, and exercise are some excellent methods. However, in this article, we will discuss the benefits of praying as a technique to cope with challenging life situations and maintain our health.
Why Pray?
Praying not only brings us closer to God but also relaxes us. Besides, keeping a spiritual connection with God guides us and helps us come out of the hard times. It strengthens our long-term physical and emotional health too.
In fact, if a person is religious, I believe they are doing a great favor to their brain and heart. Do you know how?
Lisa Miller conducted a study of people who are at risk of depression and anxiety. With the use of an MRI, while studying their brain activity and structure, she concludes that people who are more religious and pray regularly have developed thicker cortices in comparison to others.
This thickening of the cortices in some parts of the brain indicates bad health linked to anxiety and depression. The thickness of the cortices shows that the person is suffering less from depression, because of their connectivity with God. It is conclusive proof of how praying benefits the human brain and soul.
Besides protecting you from stress or anxiety, there are multiple benefits of prayers. In this article, I would highlight five important ways how praying can benefit you in not only getting a relaxed mind and soul but also how to lead a healthy life. These are:
1. Prayer makes you Stress-Free
We all are surrounded by stress. Either it’s about job, relationships or family, and health, we are constantly thinking. As mentioned earlier, life is of course beautiful, but it is not easy. The world is full of strains and demands. This means we are exposed to continuous pressure in this uncertain world.
However, getting connected to God through regular prayer can help you to relieve stress. It has been published in the British Journal of Health Psychology that praying protects people from developing disorders of anxiety and depression.
Praying impacts the state of mind, and helps to relax, and reduces the adverse effects of stress that might also harm other organs of the body. It also minimizes mental stress.
2.Prayer Can Keep You Healthy
Good health is a gift of prayer. Regular prayers motivate a person to stand up and face the situation with full courage no matter how tough the situation is. Also, when we pray, our connection with God makes us realize that some things are beyond our control. This makes our minds relax, and we are less vulnerable to the evils of anxiety and depression.
While some researchers also directly connect prayers and a strong immune system. Praying improves our immune system. There are some other health benefits too like asthma, controlled Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Ulcer, Migraine, and Diabetes. Most of these diseases are related to depression.
Proper and healthy functioning of the heart is another benefit of praying. Regular prayers at the prayer timings accelerate the recovery of the organ after a heart attack and a major surgery. Besides it also regulates the heartbeat, and makes the organ stronger.
3. Prayer Gives You Peace of Mind
Bending down in front of your God regularly, keeps your mind relaxed. The moments spend with God not only relieve your stress but also give you some time alone, to think about what life is?
This is where you gather the courage to focus on yourself and be clear in your mind about what you want to do and how you would deal with some kind of uncertain situation?
When a religious person is stuck in some tough situation, his faith in God takes him out of it with full confidence. This confidence comes with peace of mind, which is achieved through praying daily.
4. Prayer Makes You an Optimistic Person
I believe being optimistic makes life much easier. Praying plays a role in letting people analyze what they "have" instead of what they "don't have." It encourages people to have optimistic thinking about life.
To stay happy in a world where we are bombarded with constant pressures every day requires optimism. Studies say that praying releases dopamine in the human brain, resulting in more happy feelings. This is why religious people are said to be more content people.
5. Prayer Helps in Post-surgical Recovery
Living a normal life after any kind of surgery is difficult. Take an example of angioplasty. It is never easy for the patient to live a more content life after the surgery and in most cases, the patients become severely depressed.
It has been found that a regular connection with God acts as a coping mechanism in post-surgical patients. These patients are more likely to be patient and positive which hastens their recovery.
Although there is no conclusive scientific proof of prayer aiding physical healing, many researchers have found a positive connection between spirituality and health. Indeed, a positive mind frame is necessary to heal quickly.
Final Thoughts
We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with stress. Life is another name of hardships. Not everyone is strong enough to face uncertain situations with courage, but I believe that regular prayers can stop you from going into a state of depression long with other numerous health benefits.
