How being kind benefits your health

Want to know a secret about how you can consistently feel good every day? It’s not a radical juice cleanse, giving up carbs, or doing yoga. It’s kindness. Helping someone out. Doing good things. Making the world a better place.

Here’s how it works.

Kindness triggers something in our brains: oxytocin and serotonin.

Oxytocin¹, aka the love hormone, is the chemical that helps us develop social bonds and trust, and that fizzy little boost we get gives us confidence and makes us friendlier and more generous. Oxytocin is generated through intimate moments, hugs, childbirth and breastfeeding. It’s also released when we witness someone else doing a good deed2.

Serotonin³, on the other hand, is the neurotransmitter responsible for stabilising our mood, happiness and wellbeing. If we’re low in serotonin, we’re more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression⁴, but a boost can help alleviate these symptoms and help you feel good. Natural ways to give your serotonin levels a kick include exposure to sunshine, exercise, and of course, helping others.

Another cool thing about kindness? It’s contagious⁵. When you see someone demonstrating kindness, you’re more inspired to replicate it yourself. So while one day, you might see someone struggling to open a door while they’re holding two coffees, the next you might see a stranger holding the door. And then the next day, you’re the one holding open a door, smiling, and feeling great

Here are a few easy ways you can start living a kinder life – and feel great while you’re at it:

• Send a text to a mate and let them know how much you appreciate their friendship and why
• Make a meal for someone and deliver it to their home
• Offer your seat on the train, tram or bus to someone on your morning commute
• Volunteer with a local community organisation
• Donate money to a cause you’re passionate about
• Smile and say hello to people you pass on your morning walk
• Write a letter to someone who’s made a positive difference in your life
• Compliment a friend or work colleague on something great they’ve done
• Hold the door for a stranger in a shop (and say thank you if someone holds the door for you!)
• Run an errand for someone you know needs help, like picking up their groceries or taking them to an appointment
• Bake a cake for your workmates

You can even be kind through AIA Vitality. Choose to give back your weekly Active Benefit to not-for-profit organisations like The Mental Health Foundation NZ, Trees That Count and more.

Really, in a world that can feel particularly unkind at times, why wouldn’t you do your bit to make it a better place? Every small step makes a difference.