Can prayer or faith practices lower your stress response?

Research suggests they may. In a lab study using a standardized stress test, people who prayed more frequently and scored higher on measures of religiosity and forgiveness showed lower cortisol responses to the stressor than those who did not.† This does not mean prayer replaces anything else in your life. It means a coping practice many women already reach for has shown up in real physiological measurements, not just in how someone says they feel.

What the lab research found

A study using a standardized social stress test measured how religiosity, spirituality, prayer frequency, and forgiveness related to cortisol responses in young adults. Researchers found that participants with higher composite religiosity and spirituality scores, greater forgiveness, and more frequent prayer showed lower cortisol responses to the stressor than those with lower scores on these measures.

The picture is more nuanced when you look at everyday, real-world stress rather than a single lab test. A separate study of postmenopausal women measuring daily cortisol rhythms found only modest associations overall between religiosity or spirituality measures and cortisol patterns. Notably, women who said religion or spirituality genuinely helped them cope with stress showed a healthier evening cortisol pattern, while women reporting religious struggles, meaning internal conflict or doubt around faith, showed higher cortisol throughout the day. In other words, the benefit does not appear to come from religious identity alone. It appears tied to whether faith functions as a source of coping rather than a source of internal tension.

Why this isn't just a feel-good claim

"When we tie our wellness and our fitness to what we can do in our faith, it becomes more serious."

— Dominique Landry, Founder of Fit Enough

A broader academic review of religion and health research proposed that the connection between faith practices and health outcomes runs through a few specific mechanisms: religious practice tends to increase healthy behaviors, social support, and a sense of coherence or meaning, all of which independently relate to how the body handles stress. This lines up with what federal research on mind-body approaches has found more broadly about practices that support emotional regulation and a sense of calm.

So when a woman says "God is good" in a season that does not look like it, that is not denial. It is a coping practice with a real, if still developing, evidence base behind it.

"Every Pink Stork product is not only backed by science, it's also covered in prayer. I believe both things can be true at once: that a supplement can support your body, and that prayer can steady your spirit. Neither one replaces the other."

— Amy Suzanne Upchurch, Founder and CEO of Pink Stork

Support for the body alongside faith and community

Prayer and faith practices are not a replacement for medical care, sleep, nutrition, or professional support when you need it, and this research should not be read as a reason to substitute one for the other. For pregnant women navigating a stressful season, Pink Stork's Total Prenatal, formulated for first-trimester sensitivity, supports maternal nutrition with methylated folate, choline, and vitamin B6, which helps maintain a steady mood during pregnancy.† Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially during pregnancy.

Cortisol Complex, designed for women navigating high-stress seasons, is formulated with organic ashwagandha, chamomile, and a full B-vitamin complex to support a healthy stress response and a balanced mood, meant to sit alongside faith and community rather than compete with them.†

Trust signals

• Cortisol Complex is third-party tested in cGMP-certified laboratories.
• Total Prenatal is third-party tested at ISO 17025 accredited labs.
• Pink Stork is a woman-founded, woman-led brand.

Frequently asked questions

Does prayer actually lower cortisol?

A lab study using a standardized stress test found that people who prayed more frequently and scored higher on religiosity and forgiveness measures showed lower cortisol responses to the stressor than those who did not.

Does this hold true in everyday life, not just a lab test?

The evidence is more mixed in daily-life settings. One study found only modest overall links between religiosity and cortisol patterns, though women who said faith genuinely helped them cope showed a healthier evening cortisol rhythm.

Does simply identifying as religious lower stress?

Research suggests the benefit is tied less to religious identity alone and more to whether faith functions as a source of coping. Religious struggle, or internal conflict around faith, was linked to higher cortisol in at least one study.

What mechanisms might explain this connection?

A research review proposed that religious practice may support health through increased healthy behaviors, stronger social support, and a greater sense of meaning or coherence, all of which relate to stress physiology.

Can prayer replace medical or professional support for stress?

Prayer and faith practices are a coping tool, not a substitute for medical care, sleep, nutrition, or professional support when those are needed.

Is Total Prenatal safe alongside a stress-support routine like Cortisol Complex?

Many women use a prenatal multivitamin alongside a stress-support formula as part of a broader wellness routine, though you should always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially during pregnancy.†

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or while managing a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.