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Psychologists Less stressed Those who help others also improve their health
Everybody is happy when others are nice to you. Psychologists have now found that those who help others also do something good for themselves. Helpers promote their own mental health through support.
Constant stress endangers health
Permanent stress puts a strain on your health. It can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure or heart attack, cause gastrointestinal ulcers, induce sleep disorders or back pain. An increased susceptibility to infection, tinnitus, rash, diarrhea or constipation can also be the result. Basically, an excess of stress can affect every organ in the human body. To forestall this, health professionals often recommend performing stress-relieving exercises, such as yoga. Psychologists from the US have now named another way that helps to be less stressed: By helping other people.
Those who help other people do something good for themselves. The help has positive effects on our mental health. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com) Positive effect on mental health
As psychologists at the University of Connecticut report in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, prosocial behavior mitigates the effects of stress and helps reduce it. According to a report on the PsychCentral blog, study author Emily Ansell said: "Our research shows that if we help others, we can help ourselves." Even little things like "keeping a door open for someone" can therefore have a positive effect on our mental health.
Increase well-being through helping behavior
A total of 77 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 44 participated in the study of Ansell scientists. According to the authors, the results showed that helpfulness pays off. The subjects increased their well-being through their helping behavior. They rewarded themselves with positive emotions and better overall mental health. Those who were more self-centered were often worse off. "It was surprising how strong and consistent the impact on daily experience was," Ansell said.
To offer help in everyday life
As other experts say, it would be a benefit for everyone to offer help in everyday life. The researchers assume that helpers sometimes distract themselves during the supporting activity. In addition, selfless support creates closeness to other people. The hormones released may have a beneficial effect on the body's stress response. According to the psychologists, however, further research is needed to support their findings. Future work could help to identify recommendations for prosocial behavior to better manage stress, "especially in people experiencing depression or high acute stress," Ansell said. (Ad)