G OOD
Health
The Contagion of Kindness
There are many reasons to be anxious and stressed, and to see the world through the lenses of fear and uncertainty. But changing that lens to one of kindness can be the perfect antidote—a medicine for body and soul. And the good news? It’s part of who we are, and it’s contagious.
27 | November/December 2020
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growing body of work from researchers around the world shows that not only are we hard-wired to be kind, but that being kind is good for you. In a study on the genetics of kindness, at the University of Jerusalem, researchers found more selfless people had particular variations in the receptors of hormones such as oxytocin and dopamine. When we do a kind act, four feel-good chemicals are released in our bodies that also impact our health: • Serotonin heals wounds, stabilizes mood, eases depression, and maintains bone health. • Endorphins reduce pain and enhance pleasure. • Oxytocin reduces blood pressure and inflammation, and makes us feel more connected. • Dopamine boosts pleasure.
All these contribute to feeling calmer and more energized, to helping the body fight disease and, potentially, to living longer. Scientists have also discovered that the person receiving a kindness and others who witness the act also receive an infusion of those chemicals. Sounds like the perfect elixir, for everyone.
Kindness = Survival Kindness became an evolutionary necessity. We needed to cooperate and to be kind to one other to survive—to provide food, shelter, and protection from predators (animal and human) and other dangers. We formed beneficial alliances with other tribes and bonded with our babies to ensure their survival. Kindness minimized conflict and brought rewards of biological, personal, and societal pleasure. As a result, the ‘kindness’ gene has been hard-wired into us and passed down through the generations.
