Kindness linked to better physical health, longevity

Regularly volunteering and engaging in other acts of kindness can boost not just mental health but also physical health and longevity, according to researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

One study co-authored by Laura Kubzansky, professor of social and behavioral sciences, found a link between volunteerism and charitable donations and lower levels of physical pain. Another study led by Tyler VanderWeele, John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology, found an association between regular volunteering, lower risk of mortality, and better physical functioning into old age.

In a Dec. 25 NPR article, Kubzansky discussed the growing body of research suggesting that people have better health outcomes when they make a habit of helping others. She posited social connectedness and stress reduction as reasons why.