- Altruistic acts linked to reduced risk of chronic pain
- Donating money and volunteering show positive impact on health
- The health benefits of kindness and acts of compassion
Maintaining health and avoiding chronic pain requires regular exercise, a good food, and a healthy weight.
However, scientists have identified another, more unlikely factor that can have a remarkable impact: charitable giving. Increasing evidence suggests that simple acts of altruism, such as donating money, volunteering your time for free, and even simple acts of compassion, can have a significant positive effect on health, possibly extending our lives and boosting our immune systems.
Following this, researchers from the University of London sought to determine if pro-social behavior could also reduce the risk of chronic pain, defined as pain lasting three months or longer.
In addition to physical distress, studies indicate that up to 85% of chronic pain sufferers also experience depression. Consequently, the motivation to engage in self-help measures that may alleviate discomfort, such as regular, gentle exercise, may be diminished.
For the recent study, researchers examined data from 48,000 people who participated from 2011 to 2020 in the UK Household Longitudinal Survey, a long-term investigation into all aspects of health; this included data on prosocial behavior (essentially doing things for the benefit of others) and rates of chronic pain.
Participants were asked if they had made charitable contributions in the past year and, if so, how much.
Over two-thirds of respondents donated money to charity, while nearly one in five volunteered.
These details were compared to the number of patients with major chronic pain disruption during the nine-year experiment.
The results, which were published last month, revealed that those who donated money to charity had a lower likelihood of experiencing pain or chronic pain of any kind, while volunteering had an even greater effect.
And the greatest benefits were observed among those who engaged in both activities.
Volunteering involves physical exertion, which releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and mood boosters.
However, merely donating may have a similar effect.
The researchers wrote in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, “Prosocial behavior also promotes better mental health. And we know that physical pain and mental health are closely related.”
Dr. Audrey Tang, a psychologist, explains that endorphins are produced when you accomplish something you set out to do.
They tend to linger in the body, which is why they can relieve chronic pain.
However, research indicates that the benefits of kindness extend beyond the prevention of suffering.
A 2013 study by psychologists at Arizona State University found that individuals over the age of 55 who offered free assistance to others or charities were at least 24% less likely to die prematurely than those of the same age who did not volunteer. Dr. Tang believes this could be crucial for retirees attempting to maintain their physical and mental health. In addition to social interaction, you exercise and maintain your joints mobile and flexible.
Other studies demonstrate that acts of compassion can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, primarily by reducing the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, which can increase blood pressure. A significant risk factor for heart attacks and strokes is hypertension.
Moreover, merely observing another person’s altruism can increase your immunity to infection.
In 1988, researchers at Harvard University in the United States asked a group of volunteers to view a video highlighting Mother Teresa’s charitable acts in India for a landmark study.
A second group was instructed to view a film detailing Hitler’s exploits during World War II. The researchers measured the participants’ levels of immunoglobulin A, a substance secreted by the immune system as a defense against bacteria, toxins, and viruses, by taking blood samples before and after the experiment.
Those who observed Mother Teresa’s altruistic behavior had an abrupt increase in immunoglobulin A. Whereas those who viewed the Hitler film had no change.
The concept that witnessing an act of compassion can influence one’s health became known as the ‘Mother Teresa effect’:
‘However,’ says Dr. Tang, ‘you’ll likely derive more benefit from performing an altruistic act than from merely witnessing one.’
