Have you ever observed that you feel better yourself after doing a kind deed for someone else? This has to do with your brain’s pleasure regions; it’s not just something that happens at random. Being kind to others increases serotonin, a chemical linked to emotions of happiness and contentment. Similar to physical activity, altruism causes the release of endorphins, or the “helper’s high.” So, go ahead and lend a hand, buy someone lunch or coffee, volunteer, or try any of these suggestions; they might be exactly what you need to lift your spirits. Numerous studies demonstrate that being kind makes people happier. According to studies comparing subjects encouraged to be more kind-hearted with subjects behaving normally, subjects who respond more kindly typically report feeling happy as a result. Kindness appears to provide some protection against depression, according to other research. Research contrasting individuals who regularly volunteer with those who don’t reveals significantly reduced incidence of depression in the volunteers. The brain impacts of kindness appear to be the source of the happiness-enhancing and depression-preventing effects. Kindness also touches a deeper, more spiritual part of ourselves. Studies on brain imaging reveal that feelings of kindness and compassion lead to left-biased alterations in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
