A comprehensive review of literature on the relationship between spirituality and working women's physical health and performance.

A systematic review of 64 studies from 2020 to 2025 finds that spiritual practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and workplace yoga are associated with improved well-being in working women. These practices correlate with lower cortisol levels, better autonomic balance, and self-reported improvements in emotional regulation, including reduced anxiety, fatigue, and depression. In the workplace, spiritual engagement is linked to higher job satisfaction and increased energy. However, the evidence is primarily associative, relying on self-reported measures and heterogeneous samples, indicating a need for longitudinal, gender-specific research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This systematic literature review (2020-2025) of 64 studies examines the associations between spiritual practices and the holistic well-being of working women. Interventions such as meditation, mindfulness, and workplace yoga are consistently linked to favorable shifts in the Mind-Body axis, characterized by lower cortisol levels and improved autonomic balance. These physiological changes track with significant self-reported improvements in emotional regulation, including reduced perceived anxiety, fatigue, and depression. In the professional domain, spiritual engagement is associated with improved workplace functioning, notably through higher job satisfaction and increased energy. While these trends suggest a positive relationship, the evidence remains primarily associative. The reliance on self-reported measures and heterogeneous samples highlights a need for longitudinal, gender-specific research to clarify how spiritual engagement supports women's professional fulfillment.