As another Thanksgiving Day approaches, food banks, soup kitchens and rescue missions will need volunteers.
What better way to express your gratitude than by giving your time and service to a worthy cause?
Volunteering is your chance to give back to your community, whether it’s your alma mater, your church or any other organization you want to help out.
The beauty of volunteering is that while you are helping others, you are also helping yourself. Here are a number of physical and mental health benefits you get from volunteering.Physical Benefits
The physical benefits you gain from volunteering can last into your old age if you continue to do volunteer work. The initial positive feeling or helpers high you get after volunteering is a distinct physical sensation. Volunteers also experience fewer aches and pains. Even better, volunteering protects overall health twice as much as aspirin products against heart disease.
Studies have shown the social interaction that happens while volunteering reduces your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases endorphin production and enhances your immune system. It has also been found that ongoing volunteer work increases life expectancy and quality of life. We all want to live longer and now you know how: volunteer!
Mental Benefits
The mental benefits of volunteering are just as great as the physical ones. Volunteers discover they are able to manage their stress better and feel less anxious. By building interpersonal relationships with the people they help as well as fellow volunteers, feelings of depression and isolation are lessened. In addition, volunteers experience a greater sense of purpose because of the deeper connection they’re able to establish with the community they’re helping. They tend to be more confident and have a greater self worth, as well.
We know it can be tough to find time to fit volunteering into your busy work schedule, but we encourage you to try. Maybe even ask your friends if they want to volunteer with you and turn it into a group activity. There are a ton of organizations that are always looking for volunteers. Visit volunteer.gov to find opportunities near you. Once you start volunteering, you too can experience the benefits that come from giving your time and efforts to help others.
(Feature Photo via We Heart It)
Follow my blog with Bloglovin