Prayer, Faith, and Cardiovascular Health
Given that, as Christians, we understand that God answers prayer in His own time, it can be challenging to establish a direct connection between spirituality and health. After all, God may choose not to answer prayers for better health because this is a time of testing, fortification, supplication, or part of a desire to allow God’s love to be expressed more fully in times of trials.
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Despite the numerous reasons that may delay pleas for better health and wellness, numerous studies have shown that individuals who practice the Christian faith tend to have better health outcomes.
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Many researchers in this field consider HG Koenig’s article, "Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications," as one of the more defining moments. In his 2012 study, he combined the results of nineteen smaller studies on spirituality (mainly, but not exclusively, Christian) and their impact on health. This meta-analysis combined many smaller studies on the subject and provided a more comprehensive review of the link between spirituality and health.
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In his meta-analysis, Koenig found that individuals who reported a robust spiritual life experienced less cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes, and reported an overall better sense of well-being, compared to those who did not. This meta-analysis combined many smaller studies on the subject and provided a more comprehensive review of the link between spirituality and health.
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Two major factors seem to be in play. First, those who pursue an active Christian life seem to practice better health habits than those who don’t. In another study, examining Black Christians, higher religious attendance was positively correlated with intermediate to ideal levels of physical activity, a healthier diet, smoking abstinence, and lower blood pressure. Private prayer was positively correlated with intermediate to ideal levels of a good diet and a lack of smoking. Overall, religiosity was correlated with a good composite cardiovascular indicator score.
But it goes much deeper than that.
Numerous remarkable medical studies have investigated the impact of prayer. In one small study, reciting six Hail Mary prayers per minute was associated with a significant increase in baroreflex sensitivity and enhanced heart rate variability, which is thought to protect the heart against the effects of stress.
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However, it is not just prayer that helps with personal health matters. Even more astounding is that intercessory prayers work, and science has shown that in multiple studies.
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Several studies of patients admitted to coronary care units (CCUs) examined the effects of remote, directed prayer by an outside group of Christians. The authors of one study found that subjects of an intercessory prayer group required less ventilatory assistance, antibiotics, and diuretics than the control group. Researchers in another study found that recipients of prayer had significantly lower CCU course scores, indicating better outcomes. A study from Byrd et al in 1998 suggested that outcomes were profoundly better, stating that “These data suggest that intercessory prayer to the Judeo-Christian God has a beneficial therapeutic effect in patients admitted to a CCU.” Strong words indeed.
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In yet another compelling study, individuals who recently suffered a heart attack and received intercessory and petition prayers showed significantly better health outcomes and an improved quality of life compared to those who did not receive such prayers. This suggests the powerful potential of spiritual support in healing and recovery.
These studies are just the tip of the iceberg, demonstrating the profound impact of faith on our cardiovascular health and wellness. While we live in finite, fragile bodies that will one day perish, our Lord opens the path with untold and previously unknown blessings, if only we will accept His grace completely with profound humility, leaving ourselves open to live the life He would have us live.
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Therefore, it is not that Christianity can be construed as just a lifestyle choice, one that even the resolute atheist can simply adopt. Prayer works, even though we may not always understand the timing or the nature of God’s interventions.
Koenig HG. Religion, spirituality, and health: the research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry. 2012;278730:1-33.
Banerjee A, Boyle M, Anand S, et al. The relationship between religious service attendance and coronary heart disease and related risk factors in Saskatchewan, Canada. J Relig Health. 2014;53(1):141-156.
Brewer LC, Bowie J, Slusser JP, et al. Religiosity/spirituality and cardiovascular health: the American Heart Association Life's Simple 7 in African Americans of the Jackson Heart Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(17):e024974
Charlemagne-Badal SJ, Lee JW. Religious social support and hypertension among older North American Seventh-day Adventists.J Relig Health. 2016;55(2):709-728.
Roberts L, Ahmed I, Hall S, Davison A. Intercessory prayer for the alleviation of ill health. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(2):CD000368.
Byrd RC. Positive therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer in a coronary care unit population. Southern Medical Journal. 1988;81(7):826–829. doi: 10.1097/00007611-198807000-00005.
Harris WS, Gowda M, Kolb JW, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of remote, intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients admitted to the coronary care unit. Arch Intern Med. 1999;159(19):2273-2278.
Abu HO, McManus DD, Lessard DM, Kiefe CI, Goldberg RJ. Religious practices and changes in health-related quality of life after hospital discharge for an acute coronary syndrome. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2019 Sep 3;17(1):149. doi: 10.1186/s12955-019-1