The Personal and Public Health Benefits of Generosity

Of all the intangible “medicinals” I’ve blogged about here, I think this is the one I struggle most with.  Maybe it’s because this attribute was not one fostered or encouraged in the family I grew up in.  I have had good examples around me in adulthood, but I guess I’m a slow learner with some things.  Still, I do try to make improvements.

We are commanded in scripture to give, to be generous, especially with the less fortunate, whether they are less fortunate with their food, clothing, and other material goods or poor in spirit.  Because giving makes the world a better place.  What’s often not realized is that giving also helps keep us healthy.

Here’s how:

·       Cardiovascular

o   Hypertension.  People who were generous with their money lowered their blood pressure.[1]

·       Neurological

o   Anxiety.[2]  Helping a specific person in need reduced anxiety and stress in the giver.

o   Happiness/Depression.  People who were generous with their money were happier.[3]

o   Happiness at work depends on it.  This study was conducted among individuals in a regular workplace environment.[4]  By logical extension, the same should apply to working with others at home or in the neighborhood.  It helps others feel more committed and less likely to quit. 

·       Other

o   Lowers cortisol levels.  Being stingy, and being ashamed of it, raises cortisol levels in the blood, and chronically high levels of this hormone adversely affect health.[5]

o   Longer life.  Being generous with your time reduces the mortality rate by buffering the association between stress and mortality.[6]  Basically, those big words say that helping others helps you live longer by lowering your own stress levels.

What do these researchers mean by “being generous”?  It’s not all about money.  It’s mostly about time and small, thoughtful gestures

• Holding the door open.
• Smiling.
• Asking someone how their day is going.
• Giving people your full attention when talking to them.
• Bringing a small treat to someone.
• Offering a genuine compliment.

At the same time it is just as important to allow others to be generous.  Being independent, like we prepper-types really like to be, robs others of the opportunity of giving and receiving the blessings of being generous as well. 

And we need to show appreciation.  When others are generous to us, instead of saying “You shouldn’t have,” just say “Thank you.”  Even better, follow up with a sincere expression of what it means to you.[7]

We’ve all noticed disturbing trends in our society over the past few years.  Some attribute it to the start of COVID and social distancing.  Regardless, we’ve seen increasing rudeness, road rage, and increased selfishness and lack of concern for or empathy with others.  We may not be able to change the world, but we can be a force for positive change in our homes and communities by being generous in small and simple ways.  I’m going to try harder.  I hope you will, too.

Links to related posts:

The Health Benefits of Gratitude  

Prepping for Better Health with Forgiveness 

For further reading:

https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/generosity-good-your-health

---

[1] AV Whillans, et al., Is spending money on others good for your heart? Health Psychology, 2016, Vol 35 No 6, https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fhea0000332 (accessed 9 January 2024).

[2] TK Inagaki, et al., Neural Correlates of Giving Social Support: Differences Between Giving Targeted Versus Untargeted Support, Psychosomatic Medicine, Vol 80 No 8, October 2018, https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/abstract/2018/10000/neural_correlates_of_giving_social_support_.6.aspx (accessed 15 January 2024).

[3] C Nicholson, Generosity Might Keep Us Healthy, Scientific American, 23 October 2010,  https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/generosity-might-keep-us-healthy-10-10-26/ (accessed 9 January 2024).

[4] D Moynihan, et al., A life worth living:  Evidence on the relationship between prosocial vales and happiness, American Review of Public Administration, Vol 45 No 3, July 2013, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0275074013493657?journalCode=arpb (accessed 15 January 2024).

[5] C Nicholson, Generosity Might Keep Us Healthy, Scientific American, 23 October 2010,  https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/generosity-might-keep-us-healthy-10-10-26/ (accessed 9 January 2024).

[6] MJ Poulin, et al., Giving to Others and the Association Between Stress and Mortality, American Journal of Public Health, 2013, https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300876?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed (accessed 15 January 2024).

[7] L Firestone, The benefits of generosity, PsychAlive,  https://www.psychalive.org/benefits-of-generosity/ (accessed 15 January 2024).