Science & Health Benefits of Belief in God & Religion | Dr. David DeSteno

Andrew Huberman

Aug 25, 2025

Episode description

My guest is ⁠Dr. David DeSteno, PhD⁠, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University. We discuss science, God and religion, including what science can and can’t reveal about the existence of God and where religious faith and science do and do not align. We also discuss why questions about life’s origins, miracles and the afterlife have persisted across time. Dr. DeSteno explains how religious rituals cause meaningful improvements in mental and physical health and how prayer and gratitude can markedly reduce stress, increase honesty and compassion and buffer against loneliness and despair. Finally, we explore what distinguishes religions and mission-based communities from cults, and we discuss the role that communities such as 12-step and Burning Man play in modern life.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/wXf7nNR

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*Dr. David DeSteno*
Website: https://davedesteno.com
Northeastern University academic profile: https://cos.northeastern.edu/people/david-desteno
How God Works (book): https://amzn.to/4njja27
How God Works (Podcast): https://www.howgodworks.org
Books: https://amzn.to/3HRWIhh
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=N-kiWT4AAAAJ
X: https://x.com/daviddesteno
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howgodworkspod
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/daviddesteno.bsky.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-desteno-016ab6110

*Timestamps*
00:00:00 David DeSteno
00:02:10 Science & Belief in God, Does God Exist?
00:07:06 Universe Origins & Scientific Questions; Religion & Life/Health Benefits
00:15:16 Sponsors: Our Place & LMNT
00:18:23 Russell's Teapot, “Overbelief”, Faith; Religio-prospecting, Traditional Practices
00:26:49 Mediation & Compassion, Prayer & Stress Relief, Tools: Meditation, Prayer
00:34:40 Superstition, Prayers & Rituals; Mourning Rituals, Eulogies, Shiva, Connection
00:43:58 Grieving & Different Religious Traditions
00:47:15 Sponsors: AG1 & Eight Sleep
00:50:12 God vs Religion?; Prayer, Community, Religious Rituals & Ideals
00:56:17 Psychedelics, Ego Death, Right vs Left-Handed Roots
01:01:24 Good & Evil; Lies & Cheating; Gratitude & Prayer
01:11:03 Loneliness, Community & Religion, Relationship with God & “3AM Friend”
01:16:25 Sponsor: Function
01:18:12 Feeling God; Intelligent Design, Evolution, Eye; Awe
01:25:21 Overwhelm & Spiritual Experiences, Awe Despite Understanding
01:31:01 Fear of Death, Afterlife, Tool: Contemplating Death
01:37:11 Time Perception, Connectedness, Traditional Practices
01:42:53 Addiction; 12-Step Programs & Surrender to a Higher Power
01:49:02 New Religions, Burning Man, Modern Spiritual Experiences, Cults
01:58:06 Cults vs Religions, Religious Interpretation & Reorientation
02:03:56 AI, Technology, Religion & Intelligence; Religious “Branding”
02:11:05 Religion Figures & Flaws, Direct Experience of God
02:15:13 Finding a Belief System, Embracing Religious Practices, Tool: Sampling Religions
02:21:40 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Utilize mirror covering to manage emotional intensity during mourning

The Jewish mourning ritual of covering mirrors is supported by modern psychology, which shows that looking in a mirror intensifies your current emotional state.

#emotion

#ritual

Explore ancient religious practices for modern life hacks

The speaker proposes "religio prospecting," which involves scientifically studying ancient religious practices to find effective tools for human flourishing, much like bioprospecting sought new medicines.

#biohacking

#spirituality

Engage in religious faith to reduce mortality by 30%

Engaging with religious faith over a 15-20 year period can cut all-cause mortality by 30% and reduce deaths from cancer and cardiovascular disease by 25%.

#longevity

#mortality

Leverage religious community for greater health benefits

While any community is beneficial for health, the positive effect size is significantly larger for religious communities compared to secular ones like a bowling club.

#community

#relationships

Confront uncertainty to alleviate death anxiety

The people who are most anxious about death are not firm believers or atheists, but those who are uncertain about the existence of an afterlife.

#anxiety

Practice gratitude to enhance honesty and reduce cheating

A simple five-minute gratitude exercise of counting your blessings was shown to reduce the cheating rate in a lab experiment from around 30% down to just 2%.

#gratitude

#honesty

Engage in religious practices to unlock health benefits

The significant health benefits associated with religion are not found in people who simply believe in God but in those who are actively engaged in religious practices.

#mind

#wellness

Try first to gain understanding later

The Hebrew saying "na'aseh v'nishma" suggests that understanding the benefits of a practice often comes only after you start doing it, so it's better to try things first rather than waiting for perfect logical clarity.

#personal-growth

Engage in motor synchrony to enhance empathy and compassion

Moving in unison with others, a practice called motor synchrony common in religious services, is a powerful, non-conscious cue to the brain that increases empathy and compassion.