It’s unbelievable, and yet: according to a study from the University of British Columbia (Canada), generous people suffer less fromarterial hypertension than the others. Is generosity “the” miracle treatment of tomorrow?
The study – published in the specialist journal Health Psychology – was carried out on 128 American volunteers (men and women aged 65 to 85) to whom the researchers entrusted an envelope of $ 40 (or approximately € 37). These people were then divided into two groups: participants in group 1 were to spend their money on themselves, while participants in group 2 were to use it to make money. gifts to their loved ones.
Effects comparable to mindfulness meditation
The researchers measured the blood pressure of the volunteers before and then after the experiment (which lasted an entire day). Results ? Volunteers in the “gift” group had slightly lower blood pressure at the end of their shopping day – and those with high blood pressure at the start of the experiment showed quite positive changes in their health. As such, their generosity had the same impact as a sports session or mindfulness meditation. Conversely, the group 1 volunteers had unchanged blood pressure at the end of the day: their behavior had no effect on their health.
“Previous studies had already shown that financial generosity had a positive impact on the mental health of individuals,” Canadian researchers analyze. Now we know that giving gifts to others also has a positive effect on physical health, especially on the cardiovascular level. »At the start of 2016, what if we made the good resolution to be more generous with our loved ones to preserve our health?
