Add practicing kindness to tool kit for better health | Mark Mahoney
The recent political turmoil and the ongoing issues within the U.S. call for stepping back and looking toward more civility and kindness within our society at-large. The disconnect between various groups and individuals is most definitely alarming and does not bode well for our democracy.
Practicing kindness has the promise of leading to a more harmonious society. The evidence is mounting on the benefits to both physical and emotional/mental health as well as the real possibilities of achieving positive interactions between individuals and groups in our country. Respect for others can lead to an agreement to disagree in a civil manner.
So, let’s look at the many beneficial effects with a focus on kindness.
Kindness is more than behavior. The art of kindness involves harboring a spirit of helpfulness, being generous and considerate, and doing so without expecting anything in return. Rather than viewing it exclusively as an action, think of kindness as a quality of being you can cultivate. Giving kindness often is simple, free and health-enhancing.
Some benefits of kindness
Acts of kindness not only benefit those in receipt of kind acts but science has proven that there are astonishing health benefits for those performing those acts and, even to those simply witnessing acts of service.
Reported benefits to physical health include increased lifespan, more energy, reduced pain and lower blood pressure.
Mental health benefits show increased feelings of community, empathy, compassion and gratitude may occur.
Additional mental health benefits for those performing acts of kindness include:
Reduced stress and anxiety
Performing acts of kindness releases oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, which increases self-esteem and optimism. These, along with decreased levels of cortisol help reduce stress and anxiety and can lift your mood.
Improved resiliency
Increased feelings of happiness and peace, as well as stronger immunity help with resiliency because they strengthen the ability to stay grounded during difficult times. With a boosted immunity the body is kept healthy and able to ward off disease. Even just witnessing acts of kindness increases the body’s immunity. Serotonin is also increased which regulates mood in the brain and builds resilience.
Increased pleasure
Kindness to others releases endorphins in the body that lights up the pleasure center in the brain. This phenomenon is known as the “helper’s high “and makes the giver feel as if they were the recipient of the good deed, not the giver.
Reduced depression and greater well-being
When we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization (the fulfillment of one’s own potential) is improved. Additionally, physical health improves significantly, mortality is delayed, and depression is reduced. Feelings of well-being, that of feeling healthy, happy and positive, as well as, good fortune, as in feeling positivity and good luck are also increased.
Performing small acts of kindness isn’t neither difficult nor necessarily time consuming. Try a little harder each day to increase your acts of kindness. You will be astonished at how good it will make you feel. And, now, more than ever, the need exists to interact in a positive, respectful manner which not only enhances our own physical and mental/emotional health but has the real potential to do so to others.
Thanks to the Mayo Clinic and Utah State University for much of the content provided.
Additional resources
A good resource written to demonstrate the positive effect that helping others can have on your own mental health, including some suggestions that will inspire you is available at mentalhealth.org.
Consider joining Mayo Clinic Health System's Kickstart Kindness program to start your kindness journey. The program offers many ideas on how to extend kindness to yourself, your community, environment, home, family, co-workers and others. Information and a link to register can be found at Kickstart Kindness program - Mayo Clinic Health System.
Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. has been a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for over 35 years. He can be reached at marqos69@hotmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Promoting and practicing kindness adds to overall health
