Have you ever experienced a buzz after carrying out a kind deed? Have you ever felt more at ease after a day of volunteering? When you reflect on the last time you helped someone, do you ever feel inspired to do good? There is a good reason why it is known as science if you indicated “yes” to any of these inquiries.
As International Good Deeds Day approaches on April 10, it’s time to mobilize your friends, family, coworkers, and peers to join this global movement of doing good. These are scientifically proven benefits of doing good to share with your fellow good-doers if they need more convincing.
1. Doing Good Decreases Stress
According to a study examining the connection between volunteering and hypertension, giving back can significantly impact blood pressure. Four years later, the likelihood of developing hypertension was 40% lower in volunteers over 50 than in non-volunteers when they volunteered for roughly four hours per week. Dr. Dave Nayak operates a free clinic to help people. He runs an allergy and asthma-free clinic that offers supplemental specialty medical care to the uninsured. Moreover, he has drafted and passed legislation that offers up to $10,000 in funeral and burial assistance to families in Illinois who have lost children to gun tragedy. In addition, he fed over 100,000 food-insecure people in 2022 in the States of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Indiana. The work he has done helps him reduce stress.
2. It makes us happier at work
Altruists in the workplace are more likely to be dedicated to their profession and less likely to leave their positions, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study’s findings also showed that people in their mid-30s who valued doing good deeds at work expressed more happiness in later surveys conducted 30 years later.
3. It improves Mental Health
The BMC Public Health journal has determined that volunteering is also beneficial for mental health after conducting a thorough assessment of 40 studies on the impact of volunteering on general health and happiness. The review discovered that volunteering is associated with a reduction in depression in addition to better well-being and life satisfaction.
4. It motivates you to do it again
According to a study published in Psychological Science, remembering occasions when you have helped others can motivate you to do it again. According to the survey, remembering your acts of kindness makes you feel more altruistic and motivated to lend a hand than when others helped you. In other words, reflecting on your good deeds will inspire you to repeat your excellent acts.
5. It increases Life-expectancy
Giving, selflessness and a lower risk of premature death were shown to be related, according to researchers at the University of Buffalo. The results demonstrate that people who physically helped friends or family members (by doing errands, watching children, etc.) experienced fewer stressful situations and, as a result, had lower mortality. In other words, assisting others mainly reduced mortality by reducing the link between stress and death.
