Why volunteering is so important to your health

Last week, we wrote about the different ways to volunteer this holiday season (focusing mainly on community outreach and food). This week is all about WHY it’s so important to volunteer. 

The reasons may seem obvious to you – perhaps you want to be altruistic, or maybe you just want to make a difference in the world. These are awesome reasons to donate your time, but we’re here to tell you about a different motive for volunteerism that you probably didn’t know about – the health benefits!

Mental Health:

Your mood is absolutely going to be improved when you volunteer. Being involved and giving back will enhance your state of mind, reduce your stress levels and lessen anxiety and depression. Recently, volunteering has even been used as a form of therapy. 

Physical Health:

Moving around is bound to help the body, but it goes deeper than that. Studies show that volunteering is capable of lowering chronic pain and reducing both chest pain and cholesterol levels in participants with heart complications. Studies also show that volunteering lowers mortality rate and extends lifespan. 

Lending a hand has been proven to have a positive side effect on pretty much every aspect of our health. The synergism of it all is both cathartic and mutually beneficial. So, while you’re contributing to your community, it is simultaneously nourishing you right back.

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