Science Daily reports that prayer, meditation, and other spiritual and religious practices may actually shoo away bad vibes and protect against depression, especially in those who are more prone to the condition. The study, led by Lisa Miller of Columbia University, involved 103 adults who either had high or low chances of developing depression.

After surveying the participants on how important spiritualty was to them, researchers asked them to undergo MRI scans to see which parts of their brains were affected by their belief systems. The results revealed that those who prayed and meditated often had thicker cerebral cortices in areas that normally thinned out in people at high risk of depression.

Researchers admit that more work is needed to further verify their findings. However, they believe that prayer and meditation may help fight clinical depression, as spending time in focused silence may help lower stress levels, boost introspection, and improve one’s outlook in life.

(Photo by Riza Nugraha via Flickr Creative Commons)