The first thing that usually comes into mind when we hear the word “volunteering” is making a difference to the community by giving food to the hungry. After all, this is the main essence of why we choose to engage in this selfless act.
But did you know that volunteering can also affect our physical and mental health in a positive way?
If you’re interested to know more, then we suggest you continue reading as we’ll tackle how volunteering at a food bank benefits your health in today’s article.
Helps You To Stay Fit
If you have a heart for helping others and you want to stay fit at the same time, then the best solution is to devote your time to volunteering. And the reason for that is those who choose to volunteer will likely be engaged in physical activity, according to a recent study.
To be specific, offering your time and effort at your food bank requires you to do physical work like distributing food inside food pantries, loading and unloading food supplies in the trucks, re-packing, and etc. And it’s just like breaking a sweat inside the gym, if you do this more often.
Reduce Stress
Before, people think that stress is just a state of mind, and it has nothing to do with our physical health. But numerous studies have already proven the negative effects of stress on our bodies. And luckily, volunteering provides a healthy avenue for us to eliminate stress in our lives.
When we do good to others, the brain releases dopamine which helps us to feel positive and relaxed. As a result, it also allows us to get rid of health conditions like heart diseases, gastrointestinal problems, weak immune systems, and insomnia – as all of these illnesses are usually caused by stress.
Happier Disposition
In a research published by the Social Science and Medicine journal, it was proven that people who devoted their time to volunteering more and more became happier than they were before. That’s because helping others gives them a sense of fulfillment as well as purpose knowing that they have a higher calling to do good to the community aside from their work-related activities.
Boost Mental Health
Volunteering enables you to interact with others, and social interaction also improves mental health. And according to Psychology Today, meeting new people increases one’s well-being while decreasing feelings of depression at the same time.
So volunteering helps if you feel depressed and you want to have an outlet to get rid of this negative feeling.
Long-Term Health
And finally, volunteering at your local food bank has a profound impact on your long-term health. And it does improve our quality of life as we age.
Based on a recent study, it was also determined that participating in worthwhile activities that involve routine interaction like volunteering lowers the risk of having dementia and other mentally degenerative diseases as a large portion of the brain remains constantly active. And being a food bank volunteer is also reported to improve our cognitive function.
Overall, volunteering your time and effort at a food bank not only helps others, but also helps you in more ways than you can imagine. Check out Second Harvest of the Greater Valley if you want to sign up as a food bank volunteer.
