With Christmas just weeks away, the rush to find that perfect gift  can lead to holiday stress. While the Christmas season is one for giving and sharing as well as connecting and forgiving, the stress brought by the holidays can lead to rising blood pressure, lost tempers and strained relations. It’s not unheard of of relatives fighting over the most mundane things during this season. While this maybe a sad fact about the holidays, where family relations are concerned, getting into the spirit of the season by practicing generosity can actually be good for your health.

Is there a science to generosity?

Ironically, researchers found that generosity can be a powerful antidote to stress. Carolyn Abraham, writing for Chatelaine, notes that a 2013 study from Carnegie Mellon University of 1,164 adults over a period of 4 years discovered that those who volunteered at least 4 hours a week were 40% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who didn’t volunteer.  There are studies that also explored the connection between generosity and lower levels of depression, higher levels of self esteem, quick recovery after a heart attack, stronger immune systems, longevity and stronger social networks even among those with elevated stress levels.

In contrast, stress was likely to kill people unless they chose to ge generous. Habitual authentic giving extended people’s lives. This was the findings of a study published in 2013 on the American Journal of Public Health who found out that people under stress were more likely to die sooner, except when they gave regularly to family and friends by way of financial or emotional support or simply by running errands or helping with housework.

Conclusion

Every opportunity to give is a chance to live a healthier and more meaningful life. Make generosity a habit.