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A dose of joy: Could acts of kindness make you healthier?
Written byH&B editorial team
Reviewed byHeeral Patel
Could good deeds be the key to a healthier life? We explore the stats and speak to the people spreading kindness around the UK
Summary
1How is kindness good for us?
The biggest-ever study on kindness revealed that kindness helps both our brain and our body...
2Kindness and heart health
We say that a kind person has a good heart. But one study really took it literally...
3Kindness in the community
We spoke to Swimunity, who offer free swimming lessons in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire...
Have you held a door open for someone today? Made them a coffee? Complimented their hair?
Congratulations: you might have just got happier and in turn maybe even healthier.
Kindness has helped us survive as humans – and, best of all, there are limitless ways to do it. From building dementia-friendly towns to a simple glimmer of joy, here’s how your good deeds could do you good...
What are acts of kindness?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, kindness is “showing a benevolent, friendly or warm-hearted nature... ready to assist or show consideration for others.”1
Acts of kindness are things designed to make others feel good, and frequently have a positive effect on us too. You'll find almost 800,000 hits for #RandomActsOfKindness on Instagram, which shows just how much we love to do and watch people finding ways to insert kindness into the days of others.
But these aren't the only way to be kind, of course – one study recently identified 10 different types of kindness.2 These ranged from ‘proactive support’ – like showing interest in your friends’ lives – to ‘formal kindness’, such as raising money for charity.
“Being social is linked to a 50% reduced risk of early mortality” 3
How is kindness good for us?
Kindness is all about being selfless. So why do we also get the warm and fuzzies?
Well, doing good makes us feel good. The biggest study on kindness ever, performed by the University of Sussex, revealed that kindness helps both our brain and our body.4 So, what else does research say?
- Kindness makes us kind
When someone’s kind to us, or we witness someone being kind, we’re kinder to others in return.5 So, in theory, that first act of kindness could create a chain reaction that just keeps on going... - Kindness may help us live longer
According to a 2022 study, positive social connection is linked to a 50% reduced risk of early mortality.3 The connections are complex, but the stress relief we get from kindness may impact anything from our sleep to our immune function, exercise and diet.3 - Kindness helps mental wellbeing
We get long-term satisfaction from being kind. Strap in for some science-y language: it most strongly benefits something called our eudaimonic wellbeing. This is the feeling we get when we're succeeding and makes us feel like we have a purpose.6
Performing good deeds has been shown to improve mood and relationship satisfaction and decrease avoidance in people with social anxiety, too.5 - And being generous may support heart health
We say that a kind person has a good heart. But one study really took it literally!
Older adults with high blood pressure were asked to spend money on others or on themselves. The more they spent on others, the lower their blood pressure was. Follow-ups confirmed this both three weeks and two years on, so the effects lasted in the short and long term.7
According to the American Heart Association, “social isolation and loneliness are common, yet underrecognized, determinants of cardiovascular health and brain health.”8
How joy connects to kindness
Prone to doomscrolling? You’re not the only one. It's easy to form a negative impression of the world, and sometimes that's for good reason. But optimism is what keeps us motivated to find solutions to problems, so we need to make sure we let the light in too.
That’s where initiatives like oh-so-sunshiney The Happy News are so valuable. Creator Emily Coxhead publishes a positivity-packed newspaper every quarter, filled with the uplifting news we don’t see enough on our screens. That little jolt of joy could be all you need to shake yourself out of a stupor and go spread some kindness yourself.
"You can see the tangible impact you’re having – it definitely helps keep me grounded."
'Glimmers’, nostalgia and kindness
Being kind isn't always about other people – sometimes you have to be kind to yourself to spark that chain reaction we mentioned earlier.
Research suggests that nostalgia – a ‘glimmer’ in itself – is helpful for people living with dementia, increasing self-esteem, social connection and optimism.9
That’s the thought behind Town Square, a Maryland day service for seniors designed to look like a 1950s American town. From the period decor to a cinema showing classic films, it helps its visitors find joy in familiarity. But finding glimmers could be as small as singing a favourite song together or spotting new flowers in the garden.
Kindness and wider wellbeing
You might think of ‘kindness acts’ as one-on-one – a small, shared interaction between two people. But what do you do when it's needed on a bigger scale?
It can be easy to feel powerless when a whole community needs kindness, but you can play a part in something that makes the world of difference...
Take Swimunity, who offers free weekly swimming lessons to children and adults in London. It began in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, which happened in the community where the founder lived.
We spoke to Omie Dale, Director and Swim Instructor, about her experience working with local families and how kindness has appeared in adversity.
“It was formed as a safe space to not only learn to swim, but also enjoy the many benefits the water can bring to body and mind,” Omie explains. “Our sessions offer both parents and children time with other local families.”
Many of the team are volunteers, wanting to support those around them after the fire. But their own kindness helps them too.
“We’ve been really blessed with an incredible team of volunteers,” says Omie. “Many of them derive much happiness from giving back to the local community.”
“You can see the tangible impact you’re having – it definitely helps keep me grounded.”
Omie’s tips on starting a kinder lifestyle? “Supporting your community can start from something as small as greeting your neighbour in the morning and spreading positivity. I believe we all have a duty towards those around us through our conduct, our work and using our privilege and position that we may have to help others.”
Everything Swimunity provides is free of cost, and so they rely on donations to continue their work. You can donate to Swimunity here.
We also wanted to share the causes close to our heart here at H&B. Here are the partnerships we’ve made to try and bring a little extra happiness into the world...
We’ve partnered with Comic Relief to help tackle poverty and injustice in the UK and around the world. Together, we’re breaking down barriers, putting roofs over heads, filling hearts, plates and bellies, and getting our bodies moving too.
We've had our Execs take on an epic challenge to trek 26 miles from our distribution centre to our HQ, raising over £15,000. We've had colleagues baking, quizzing, hiking, cycling, running and more – all to raise money for some of the most pressing challenges our communities face.
We also offer some of our London store space to The Listening Place, a London-based organisation offering face-to-face sessions for people experiencing suicidal thoughts. We help make sure their invaluable volunteers have a comfortable working space and are topped up with snacks and tea, free of charge.
We’ve proudly partnered with Menopause Mandate to offer free, 15-minute video appointments with a Menopause Advice Nurse.
Have questions about your menopause? You’ll receive confidential, expert advice tailored to you. Together, we aim to help people experiencing menopause feel informed, represented and heard.
“Laura really listened and validated my concerns. I would definitely use the service again based on my experience.”
The final say
So, it turns out there’s a lot of science in being kind – but you don’t have to overthink it.
If you’re the kind of person who needs some inspiration, World Kindness Day happens on the 13th November every year, while Random Acts of Kindness Day is on 17th February. There are no rules though – find a way to be kind to someone today and see how it affects your mood.
Want to begin with a little kindness to yourself? Start your day with more joy with our tips on managing morning anxiety.
The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
1. Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Kind – meaning & use [Internet]. OED [cited 2024 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.oed.com/dictionary/kind_adj?tab=meaning_and_use&tl=true
2. Cotney LJ, Banerjee R. Adolescents’ Conceptualizations of Kindness and its Links with Well-being: A Focus Group Study. International Association for Relationship Research [Internet]. 2017 Nov 7 [cited 2024 Oct 28]; 36(2). Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265407517738584
3. Fryburg DA. Kindness as a Stress Reduction–Health Promotion Intervention: A Review of the Psychobiology of Caring. Am J Lifestyle Med [Internet]. 2021 Jan 29 [cited 2024 Oct 28]; 16(1): 89-100. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8848115/
4. University of Sussex. The Kindness Test [Internet]. University of Sussex [cited 2024 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/kindness/research/thekindnesstest
5. Jung H, Seo E, Han E, Henderson MD, Patall EA. Prosocial modeling: A meta-analytic review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2024 Oct 28]; 146(8): 635-63. Available from: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-31405-001
6. Hui BPH, Ng JCK, Berzaghi E, Cunningham-Amos LA, Kogan A. Rewards of Kindness? A Meta-Analysis of the Link Between Prosociality and Well-Being. American Psychological Association [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2024 Oct 28]. Available from: https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-bul0000298.pdf
7. Whillans AV, Dunn EW, Sandstrom GM, Dickerson SS, Madden KM. Is spending money on others good for your heart? Health Psychology [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2024 Oct 28]; 35(6): 574-83. Available from: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-06802-001
8. Cené CW, Beckie TM, Sims M, et al. Effects of Objective and Perceived Social Isolation on Cardiovascular and Brain Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2022 [cited 2024 Oct 28]; 11(16). Available from: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.122.026493
9. Ismail S et al. Psychological and Mnemonic Benefits of Nostalgia for People with Dementia. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease [Internet]. 2018 Aug 20 [cited 2024 Oct 28]; 65(4). Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3233/JAD-180075
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