09 Apr Giving and happiness
New research shows that when people give, especially when they start young, everything from life-satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly affected.
A study conducted by the nation’s top universities – including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford and the University of Chicago – revealed people who are “giving” see the benefits of delayed mortality, reduced depression and increased well-being and good fortune.
The research, reported by the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, includes a 50-year study that found giving protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. People who are giving during high school years were found to have better physical and mental health throughout their lives. And people of all ages that help others on a regular basis, even in small ways, feel the happiest.
“Giving is as good for the giver as it is for the receiver,” said Dr. Stephen Post, bioethicist and co-author of the upcoming book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How Daily Giving Is the Key to Health, Happiness, and a Long Life.
“We’ll be happier, healthier, and even – odds are – living a little longer if we’re generous,” he said, according to ABC News.
“Public health isn’t just about bugs and staying away from lead. It’s about doing unto others, and at the right dose, science says it’s very good for you.”
Post’s book offers 10 ways to give of yourself which are all proven by science to improve your health and life expectancy.
To read more about the relationship between giving and happiness – click here.