Difference to women religious

Monastery study shows higher life expectancy among religious men

Vienna - A regular daily routine, less stress, spirituality and community: these are factors that prolong the lives of religious men. But one group benefits particularly strongly, as a study now suggests.

Published  on 08.02.2024 at 12:21  – 

Science has established this: Religious men live on average five years longer than their secular counterparts. This is the interim result of a long-term study on monasteries in Austria and Germany published on Thursday. The Institute of Demography of the Austrian Academy of Sciences identifies the regular daily routine in the monastery as the main reason for the increased life expectancy of monks: Regular routines, eating and meditating had a positive effect on the men's health, explained study leader Marc Luy.

The researchers are collecting information from the monastery archives, such as date of birth, date of entry and, if applicable, the date of departure or death of the people concerned. At the same time, a survey on health and risk factors is being conducted. So far, 1,158 members of religious orders - 622 women and 536 men - from 16 orders in Germany and Austria have taken part.

Men with a lower level of education benefited most from monastic life. They catch up with their peers with a higher level of education, who generally have a higher life expectancy, explained Luy: social differences such as better medical treatment or healthier food are eliminated in the monastery, according to the head of the study. "This clearly shows how strongly life expectancy can be influenced," summarised Luy.

And for nuns?

The study "only" found a difference of one year between the women religious, who tend to have a higher life expectancy than men, and the men religious. With almost identical lifestyles for the sexes in the monastery, the difference shrinks. According to the researchers, this shows that it is not biological factors, but aspects that can be influenced.

The stress factor should be emphasised in particular: the study shows that a stress-reduced life, for example with relaxation through prayer and meditation, can lead to more years of life. "This is exactly what happens automatically in monastic life," says Luy. Another important factor is the community within the order. "The community is supportive, the monks are there for each other, and this also has the positive side effect of prolonging life," reported Luy.

Religious offer a "unique" database for research, according to the scientists: the archives of many communities make it possible to reconstruct the lives of their members, sometimes over a period of centuries. (KNA)