Religious music to relieve 'death anxiety'

Washington: Ever wondered why old people are more inclined towards listening religious music? A study has found that listening to religious music promotes psychological well-being in later life.

Listening to religious music increases self-esteem

Among older Christians, tuning in to religious music, especially gospel, is associated with a decrease in anxiety about death and increased life satisfaction, self-esteem, and sense of control over their lives.

"Religion is an important socio-emotional resource that has been linked with desirable mental health outcomes among older US adults," said Matt Bradshaw of Baylor University. The analysis is based on 1,024 individuals who participated in the survey.

"Given that religious music is available to most individuals - even those with health problems or physical limitations that might preclude participating in more formal aspects of religious life - it might be a valuable resource for promoting mental health later in the life course," the authors wrote.

The study looked at parameters like death anxiety, self-esteem and sense of control.