Its Altruistic August!
Altruism is acting to help someone else at some cost to oneself.
It can include a vast range of behaviours, from sacrificing one’s life to save another's, to giving money to charity or volunteering at a Food Bank, to simply waiting a few seconds to hold the door open for a stranger. Often, people behave altruistically when they see others in challenging circumstances and feel empathy and a desire to help.
True altruists, by definition, put others’ interests ahead of their own—but giving to others often feels good and can result in longer-term gains for the giver too.
Skelmersdale Running Club believe in the Altruistic values and are here to Support & Inspire each other to run as apart of a family of friends.
Reduces feelings of depression
🧠Reduces feelings of depression - Giving or helping others activates the brain’s reward centre and a chemical response. The feel-good endorphins, Serotonin, Dopamine and Oxytocin are released improving our mood.
😃When we do things for other people, it makes us feel much more engaged and joyful, boosts our self-esteem, combats feelings of depression, also known as ‘the helper’s high’ and that is good for our health and our happiness.
☀️In other research, those who volunteered reported fewer depressive symptoms. Other studies have shown a link between generosity and lower rates of depression.
Reduces stress levels
🌻Reduces stress levels - Gift-giving or volunteering can reduce your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that can make you feel overwhelmed or anxious
🩺Lowers blood pressure.
🩺Lowers blood pressure. Researchers found that giving to others can lower your blood pressure and protects your heart. The effect is similar to the positive results brought by a healthy diet and exercise
🌈Gratitude - Giving can promote a sense of gratitude. Knowing that others will benefit from our actions instils a sense of thankfulness which research shows is linked to happiness, health, and social bonds.
💫When you express gratitude in words or actions, you not only boost your own positivity but others too and in the process, you reinforce their kindness and strengthen your bond to one another.
🕺💃A longer lifespan
🕺💃A longer lifespan: The secret to living longer may be giving more of yourself. Studies show that people who volunteer tend to live longer than those who don’t.
