Study: attend religious services, live longer

"Going to church - or any kind of religious service - may prolong your life. A new study shows that older women who regularly attend religious services reduce their risk of death by 20%. The study was published in Psychology and Health. Researchers from Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine grouped all religions together, looking only at whether the women attended services regularly and whether those services brought them comfort. Organized religion creates a social network with regular routines, which is known to enhance well-being. However, even when researchers adjusted for that factor, the women going to services were still less likely to die. In addition to looking at mortality broadly, researchers examined the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. They did not find that religion had an impact on the women's risk of death by this particular cause" - WebMD