4 Health Benefits Of Volunteering

Volunteering is a commitment of personal time and energy to help make a difference in the lives of others. Many people volunteer with the intention to help those in need and most times not thinking about what’s in it for them, but there are health benefits associated with volunteering that are good for the mind and body, no matter your age. A study, published in 2020 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that people who volunteered at least 100 hours per year had a reduced risk of dying over a four-year follow-up period compared with non-volunteers. But what are some of the health benefits of volunteering? We explore four.

Key Takeaways: Health Benefits Of Volunteering

• Regular volunteering reduces depression and anxiety while increasing sense of purpose and life satisfaction.
• Volunteer activities combat loneliness and isolation by building meaningful relationships and community ties.
• Many volunteer roles involve physical movement, contributing to cardiovascular health and mobility maintenance.
• Learning new skills and solving problems through volunteer work helps maintain mental acuity and may reduce dementia risk.

#1: Reduce Stress, Anger and Anxiety

Volunteering may enhance a person’s social networks to lower stress and reduce the risk of disease. You will feel a sense of meaning and appreciation, which can have a stress-reducing effect. The social contact aspect of helping and working with others can have an effect on your overall psychological well-being. Nothing relieves stress better than a meaningful connection to another person.

#2: Decrease Risk of Depression

Research has shown that volunteering leads to lower rates of depression because you are in regular contact with others. Volunteering increases social interaction and helps build a support system based on common interests - both of which have been shown to decrease depression.

#3: Stay Mentally and Physically Active

Volunteer activities get you thinking and moving. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not. Older volunteers tend to walk more, find it easier to cope with everyday tasks and stressors, are less likely to develop high blood pressure and have better thinking skills. Volunteering can also lessen symptoms of chronic pain and reduce the risk of heart disease.

#4: Increase Happiness

Researchers have measured hormones and brain activity of volunteers and discovered that being helpful to others delivers pleasure. Human beings are hard-wired to give to others. The more we give, the happier we feel. A 2011 study in Health Psychology that suggested people who volunteered for altruistic reasons were at lower risk of dying four years later than non-volunteers, while those volunteering for self-centered purposes saw no health benefits to volunteering. And a 2019 study found that the more meaning people felt in their lives, the more likely they were to remain in better health.

Researchers also found that regular volunteering, versus occasional volunteering, provided the most benefits to mental health. Several studies have found that about two hours a week seems to be the minimum for seeing a health benefit.

According to a survey released earlier this year by AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 60.7 million people formally volunteered with organizations between September 2020 and 2021. Opportunities abound for joining their ranks.