Since the beginning of Five Wellbeing, we have participated in spreading the word about supporting caregivers during the month of November. As we provide self-care options like massage, facials, and body treatments, we like to remember our staff who are ultimately caregivers to our community of spa-goers. Random acts of kindness are an excellent way to show that you care about the people around you. We have several favorites like:
– Pay it Backwards, like buying the person behind you in line at Starbucks their coffee.
– Give a review to a local business without being asked.
– Send a handwritten note to someone expressing gratitude.
– Let someone in line go in front of you.
– Smile and make eye contact with 10 people in one day.
While random acts of kindness may make you and the other person feel good, there is actually science behind these actions that reinforce random acts of kindness actually improve our health as well! Just witnessing a random act of kindness stimulates oxytocin in our bodies that is known to reduce blood pressure and improve overall heart-health (Random Acts of Kindness Foundation n.d.). Other potential health benefits include:
– Increased energy
– Overall happiness
– Increased lifespan
– Decreased depression
– Less stress and anxiety
Several studies have even shown that an act of kindness can produce endorphins which are natural pain killers! So we encourage all in our community to engage in random acts of kindness during the month of November to caregivers. Then keep up the practice all year long!
You could live a longer and happier life as a result.
Reference
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. The Science of Kindness. n.d. https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness (accessed November 8, 2022).