Control Stress? Spirituality Can Help
In the last few years, several studies have shown that spirituality can help manage stress. Many people associate spirituality with religion. Yet one can live in a spiritual way without having any religious beliefs. You can even live a life that is spiritual and religious at the same time.
In this sense, religion is a set of beliefs and practices that a group of people share regarding a relationship with a higher power.
Spirituality, on the other hand, refers to an individual’s relationship with a life force. Usually this life force can be a higher power (like a god). Or it may simply be a representation of the connection between human beings and a greater metaphysical reality.
That is why people can be religious and not spiritual and spiritual without being religious. Some people are spiritual regardless of their religion.
Some studies have shown that spirituality helps to protect against depression. That’s because it thickens the cerebral cortex.
A 2014 study from Columbia University found that regular meditation and other spiritual or religious practices thickened the cerebral cortex. This explains why these activities are beneficial and protect against depression.
Practicing spirituality helps to control stress
Spiritual people have different ways of expressing that spirituality. For example, they can pray and attend religious services. They associate with people who share their beliefs. Other ways they practice are meditation or even beholding nature, music or art.
For example, religious people often see prayer as a way to get in touch with their god. Praying helps them feel calmer, safer, and more grounded. This can indeed help to reduce stress.
On the other hand, meditation also has similar positive effects. For example, it helps to lower blood pressure and boost immunity. In addition, it can also help to control stress.
Spiritual people are usually grateful and express that gratitude. Being grateful also helps to reduce stress.
How does spirituality help with stress?
Spirituality helps to control stress in several ways. It creates a sense of calm. In addition, it also helps us to re-establish communication between our mental and physical states.
We spend a lot of time at work. We also move from one activity to the next. Sometimes we even do several activities at the same time. We also spend a lot of our time listening to others. Then we try to distract ourselves when our mind is actually full of all kinds of thoughts.
Practicing spirituality can help us find moments to breathe in the chaos of everyday life. The time we spend meditating, praying, or even appreciating what is happening around us helps us understand our reality.
Spirituality also helps to manage uncertainty. Our attempts to keep everything under control is a major source of frustration. The reason is that it is impossible after all. Freeing yourself from this can therefore help you to feel less anxious.
On the other hand, spirituality significantly improves the way we experience positive or negative events. We then begin to learn from our situations instead of experiencing them in a superficial way. We also no longer act like victims or blame ourselves.
Spirituality undoubtedly also improves our sense of connection. Feeling that we are part of something bigger than ourselves can make us feel less lonely and isolated. Most stressful situations will then seem smaller and easier to handle. After all, we know that we belong somewhere.
Spirituality also gives us a sense of purpose
Spiritual practices thus lead to an enhanced sense of connection and meaning. This makes us look beyond ourselves. In addition, it increases our sense of responsibility to our community and to the universe itself.
Spirituality changes our view of things. Essentially, it is thanks to that change that spirituality helps to manage stress. Spiritual practices can help us change obstacles that seem insurmountable.
We can then transform them into more achievable challenges. Spirituality can also help us focus on what really matters in our lives.
