Christmas is the season of giving and sharing. Giving gifts and spreading love, especially during the holiday season, feels good. Research also buttresses that generosity actually impacts our physical and emotional state of health. So it is not for the good of the receivers alone.
Givers never lack and they do themselves well too. So whether you helped an elderly cross the street, donated to an orphanage, or sent someone a birthday card, all these acts of kindness added up, can help you live a healthy and fulfilled life. Giving gives us a sense of purpose, reduces depression, and even boosts our self-esteem. Here are other benefits of generosity:
1. Longevity
Prolonged stress can have very adverse effects on the body, but we reduce our stress levels when we do good deeds. Stress can cause premature aging and increase the risk of certain health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
2. Lower blood pressure
Studies have shown that people who volunteer or support others have lower blood pressure than those who don’t. Generosity is visible in social interactions and it promotes healthy aging and prevents health complications. If you’re fond of giving gifts, it means you hardly get stressed, angry, or frustrated, and that is good for your physical and emotional health.
3. Reduced anxiety and depression
Those who regularly give to the people around them or those in need tend to have high self-esteem and reduce their depression and anxiety. The act of giving releases dopamine and oxytocin which are feel-good hormones in the brain.
4. Increased social connection and cooperation
When you give, you’re more likely to get back: Several studies have suggested that when you give to others, your generosity is likely to be rewarded by others down the line—sometimes by the person you gave to, sometimes by someone else.
5. Evoked gratitude
Whether you are on the giving or receiving end of a gift, that gift can elicit feelings of gratitude—it can be a way of expressing gratitude or instilling gratitude in the recipient. And research has found that gratitude is integral to happiness, health, and social bonds.