Studies document
the ‘helper’s high’
We all know giving helps
others, whether we volunteer for organizations, offer emotional support to
those around us or donate to charities. But studies show that giving is also
good for the giver – boosting physical and mental health.
Studies find these health
benefits associated with giving:
Lower blood pressure
Increased self-esteem
Less depression
Lower stress levels
Longer life
Greater happiness
According to a 2006 study
published in the International
Journal of Psychophysiology, people who
gave social support to others had lower blood pressure than people who didn’t.
Supportive interaction with others also helped people recover from
coronary-related events.
The same study also found that
people who gave their time to help others through community and organizational
involvement had greater self-esteem, less depression and lower stress levels
than those who didn’t.
Living longer
According to a 1999 University of
California, Berkeley, study, people who were 55 and older who volunteered for
two or more organizations were 44 percent less likely to die over a five-year
period than those who didn’t volunteer — even accounting for many other factors
including age, exercise, general health and negative habits like smoking.
In a 2003 University of Michigan
study, a researcher found similar numbers in studying elderly people who gave
help to friends, relatives and neighbors — or who gave emotional support to
their spouses — versus those who didn’t.
Feeling happier
Biologically, giving can create a
“warm glow,” activating regions in the brain associated with pleasure,
connection with other people and trust.
In a 2006 study, researchers from
the National Institutes of Health studied the functional MRIs of subjects who
gave to various charities. They found that giving stimulates the mesolimbic
pathway, which is the reward center in the brain, releasing endorphins and
creating what is known as the “helper’s high.” And like other highs, this one
is addictive, too.
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