Happy new year! Does your list of resolutions include finding ways to be healthier and happier in 2024? Look no further! Volunteering at the Food Bank can benefit your health – and change the lives of our neighbors.
The health benefits of volunteering have been well-documented and findings are all in favor of giving back. Here are just a few of the ways volunteering makes us healthier and happier, according to reports from the Mayo Clinic and the University of Maryland:
- Improved mental and physical health
- Lower blood pressure, longer lifespans
- Broader social circles, better self-awareness
What happens when we volunteer?
Volunteering “rewards” our brains
Doing good makes us feel good, and it’s not just a hunch – those warm, fuzzy feelings are backed by science! A psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic found that when we give back we experience a “helper’s high!”
Helping stimulates the brain’s mesolimbic pathway (better known as its “reward center”), causing it to release feel-good chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. The result? A boost in self-esteem, elevated happiness and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression.
Giving back keeps on giving
The physical, mental and emotional benefits of volunteering are front and center in the Doing Good is Good For You study. It found that 75 percent of American adults feel physically healthier when they volunteer.
And the mental and emotional benefits are even greater. Almost all of the subjects – 93 percent! – reported improved mood, 79 percent reported lower stress levels and 88 percent reported a boost in self-esteem from giving back. Volunteers feel a sense of meaning and appreciation and believe they are calmer, more peaceful and have more energy than those who do not volunteer.
Giving back enriches our lives in other ways, too. A whopping 94 percent of the volunteers reported a greater sense of purpose in life and 85 percent made friends while doing good – and had a higher capacity to enjoy socializing with others.
Doing good does good as we age
Think you’re too old to feel the benefits of volunteering? It’s never too late! In fact, research by Carnegie Mellon University found that older adults who volunteer at least 200 hours each year decrease their risk of high blood pressure by 40 percent! That means less likelihood of a heart attack, stroke, heart failure and metabolic syndrome.
The built-in social interactions of volunteering are healthy as well – connecting with others as we get older is good for us! At a time when we may transition into retirement, become empty nesters, experience changes in our social routines or even feel isolated, participating in a shared activity can keep us stimulated, broaden social circles and result in happier, healthier aging.
Volunteering gets us moving
Giving back gets us out and about! Even if the tasks we’re doing may not be particularly strenuous, getting out of the house, working our muscles and moving are all beneficial for health. Being active can lead to better cholesterol levels, lower blood sugar and blood pressure, a healthier heart and a longer life.
Volunteering moves us in other ways, as well – it’s a great way to explore interests and passions and gives us a break from our everyday routine of work, school and other commitments. Volunteering doesn’t require a huge obligation or take up a lot of the day, and is both a relaxing and energizing way to spend time away from our desks and take an interest in the community.
Ready for a healthy new year?
Here at the Food Bank, we cherish our volunteers and offer a variety of ways to lend a hand. If you have free time coming up right now, our Urgent Needs opportunities are a great place to jump into action.
For a full list of opportunities, check out our Volunteer Calendar. You’ll find shifts in the morning, afternoon and evening across Contra Costa and Solano Counties. There’s sure to be an opportunity to sort, package or distribute food that fits your schedule!
However you choose to volunteer, your body and mind will benefit! Here’s to a healthier, happier 2024!
