Whether it’s donating to charity, volunteering for social activities, giving gifts or just helping out, it’s nice to know that selfless acts may be good for one’s health.

Giving may help one live a happier and healthier life and here are the reasons why:

1.Giving makes one happier 

Based on studies, people who give have higher rates of self-reported happiness and have lower chance of depression.

2.Giving helps one live longer
“Being involved in giving activities seems to give people a longer life,” says Stephen Post, a professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University in New York.

3.Giving makes one feel great

Any kind of giving will increase one’s wellness. Whether one is formally engaged in voluntary work or just actively gives in a relationship, it doesn’t make a difference as the satisfaction will be the same.

4.Giving protects one from Heart Disease

Studies show that those who actively participate in volunteerism have lower rates of heart disease.

5.Giving helps protect one from addiction 

“Giving is really important to the recovery process,” says Post. He cites Alcoholics Anonymous as an example of how giving can help people overcome addictive behaviour. “People who fulfill the twelfth step of the program, which is to help other people with alcoholism, have about a 40 percent recovery rate after a year. People who don’t do that have about a 22 percent recovery rate,” he explains. 

 

Source: https://www.healthyoptions.com.ph/newsdigest/light-up-your-christmas/gift-giving-is-good-for-your-health