5 Ways Giving Back is Good for our Health and Healthier Communities

Are you looking for a simple and easy way to improve your health? Giving back could be the answer. People who volunteer and support their communities not only make healthier communities, but they improve their own physical and mental well-being as well. Studies show that giving back and doing selfless acts for others lowers anxiety, stress, and depression, and increases self-esteem.

The best part is, giving back doesn’t have to involve a huge time or financial commitment. Small acts of kindness, such as helping a neighbor or donating to a local food bank, can also have a significant impact on our well-being and the well-being of those around us. With a single simple action every day, you can make giving back a habit that is not just good for your health but creates a ripple effect of positivity for your community!

Giving Back is Good for Your Health

Boosts mental health

Doing acts of kindness improves mood and overall well-being. It reduces the feeling of anxiety and depression because it increases happiness and gives us a sense of purpose in life. Doing selfless and good acts for others makes us feel better about ourselves even when we don’t personally gain anything tangible from it. Helpful behaviour increases serotonin and dopamine production in our brains. These chemicals are associated with contentment and happiness. By giving back, we are actively improving our mental well-being.

Increase self-esteem and self-growth

Giving back to our community increases our self-esteem and fosters personal growth. By volunteering our time and proving to ourselves we have the ability to positively impact others, we boost our confidence and self-worth. This leads to a greater sense of purpose and a feeling of fulfillment in life. Engaging in charitable activities helps us grow as people since it provides chances to learn new skills and develop. Giving back expands our knowledge and understanding of the world. Personal growth and a sense of self-awareness contribute positively to our overall well-being.

Strengthens social relationships

Giving back to your community often includes getting to know the people you are helping and other volunteers, which leads to developing new social bonds and gaining new social experiences. Building meaningful connections with others reduces feelings of loneliness and isolation and increases the sense of belonging. Simply engaging with others positively every day improves mental and physical health.

Reduces stress

Charitable acts reduce the stress hormone in our body called cortisol. Studies find that people who volunteer and give back to their community have lower levels of cortisol than those who don’t. By reducing stress, you will also reduce your anxiety level. Less anxiety and overall stress are better for your physical body. Higher levels of cortisol can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and more. Lowering cortisol levels through acts of kindness reduces the risk of health problems.

Improves the immune system

Studies show that giving back improves the functioning of your immune system as it increases the levels of antibodies and other immune system markers. This leads to reduced inflammation in the body which lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. By boosting our immune system through kind actions, giving back improves our overall health and helps us to better fight against illnesses and diseases.

Giving Back is Good for Your Community

• Shared purpose – coming together with others to support a common cause builds a sense of community and belonging. This shared purpose promotes a greater connection within the community as well as more responsibility towards the betterment of it.
• Addressing needs – you fulfill necessary roles in the community to solve certain issues that need to be addressed. By doing this, you can help create a more just, caring and equal community.
• Civic engagement – by doing charitable acts, you can encourage greater civic engagement. As more people are getting actively involved in their communities, the likelihood to vote, attending local government meetings, and advocating for social issues increases. This ensures that community members have a voice and a will to use it to impact decisions that affect them even on a small scale.
• Positive role-modeling – giving back serves as a positive example for others, especially the youth in your community. Kids are more likely to develop a sense of responsibility and compassion when they see members of their community group representing these values. This can help create a community culture of giving and service and promotes long-term social benefits.
• Encourages community problem-solving – your kind acts can often be collaborative efforts to address local challenges. This problem-solving can lead to more personalized solutions that are considerate of all of the community participants, which strengthens connections between community members.

Giving back to your community is a win-win situation. By doing good deeds, you improve your mental and physical health while also helping those in need. Providing services to a community that has served you create a feedback loop of positivity not just for the community itself but also for your mental and physical health. So go ahead and make giving back a habit – it’s not only good for you, it’s good for everyone around you too!

For more inspiration to give back, check out these blog posts from 365give.ca.