This Is Why Helping Others Benefits Your Mental Health

The altruism center of the brain is a deep brain structure and is part of the primitive brain. We are wired to help one another, and the benefits of the interaction are not one-sided. Neuroscience has demonstrated that helping others is a powerful way to improve overall health.

When you help others, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin are released, causing a boost in mood. Additionally, serotonin is connected to sleep, digestion, memory, learning, and appetite. Dopamine is connected to motivation and arousal. Oxytocin is connected to social bonding, trust, and empathy. Oxytocin also decreases blood pressure and is anti-inflammatory, and, therefore, reduces pain and enhances wound healing.

Helping others can take on many forms. Small repeated boosts of these neurochemicals will produce the most benefit so find ways to give and to give often – opening a door for someone, donating money or time, or simply smiling.

Furthermore, when you help others, the same neurochemicals, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, are released in the receiver, stimulating an innate desire to pass on the good deed and, thereby, creating a cycle of giving and positivity.

So, help yourself improve your physical and mental health by helping someone else today and start a cycle of positivity.

Let me know in the comments how you helped someone today and how it made you feel.

Keep an eye out for our next episode in this mindset series for another actionable mindset tip.

As always, be healthy, be happy. Peace!

RISE ACUPUNCTURE & WELLNESS CLINIC

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