Taking good care of ourselves is a critical component of longevity, but caring for others is also a rewarding and gratifying way of boosting your physical and mental health, especially as you age.
Research shows that giving back to your community by volunteering two hours or more per week is a great way to stay physically active, socially engaged and mentally stimulated. What’s more, studies even show specific links between volunteering and heart health.

In a 2015 study published in The Gerontologist, middle-aged volunteers were shown to have lower blood sugar, less abdominal fat and higher levels of good (HDL) cholesterol than those who didn’t take time to give back. Older adults who volunteer also have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure, according to the same study.

“We know that staying socially engaged is good for the mind, body and soul,” says Dr. Nerissa Price, Medical Director of WakeMed Physician Practices’ Well-Being Initiatives. “Restorative health measures like volunteering can reduce stress, ward off loneliness and provide a sense of purpose, all of which contribute to better mental and physical health markers overall.”

Heart health depends on a number of complicated, interconnected factors, but there’s a clear symbiotic relationship between cardiovascular and social-emotional health.

“Managing our social-emotional health is just as important as managing a health condition like hypertension or diabetes,” Price says. “Volunteering is one tool in your toolbox to improve social-emotional health, boost mood and increase happiness.”

Here are the top 5 heart-healthy benefits of volunteering:

It can help reduce stress.

Stress management is essential to heart health. Chronic stress can increase cortisol and adrenaline levels in your bloodstream, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure. Stress is also linked to the formation of blood clots, which can cause heart attack or stroke, and chronic inflammation, which weakens the immune system over time. Adding to its physical impacts, stress can also lead to negative emotions that contribute to unhealthy coping behaviors — drinking too much alcohol, overeating, avoiding exercise and putting off medical appointments, for example.

It fosters a proactive approach to preventative health.

People who volunteer are more likely to take preventative health measures, according to a 2016 study published in Social Science & Medicine. The research found that older adults who volunteer are 47 percent more likely to get cholesterol checks and 30 percent more likely to get an annual flu shot. The flu shot appears to significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke over one year, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It keeps you on your feet.

Many volunteer opportunities, whether you’re packing boxes at a food pantry, serving meals at a soup kitchen, or greeting visitors at a senior center, require physical activity. According to a study of participants in Experience Corps, a program that pairs adults over 50 with public school students who need reading help, volunteers tend to walk more steps each day
than their peers.

It fights depression and provides purpose.

Volunteering can ease symptoms of depression and loneliness, according to a 2020 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, but it also offers volunteers a sense of meaning, direction, and a goal to strive for — key positive emotions for longevity. People who feel more happiness, gratitude, and sense of purpose have a lower risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event, including a heart attack or stroke, according to a 2016 report in Psychosomatic Medicine.

It improves cognitive function.

Lastly, volunteering is linked to improved cognitive function, including thinking, learning, and memory. In fact, some experts believe humans’ brains are hardwired for generosity, according to a 2016 study published in Brain Mapping.

Mended Hearts is one of many volunteer programs.

WakeMed volunteer opportunities. As the largest peer-to-peer support group for heart patients in the nation, Mended Hearts is a support group for patients who have had a cardiac event and their families. In addition to regular meetings, Mended Hearts members, who are approved as WakeMed Volunteers, make visits to patients and their families while they are in the hospital or other medical facilities such as rehabilitation centers. Volunteers offer support in the form of a listening ear and sharing hope for a fulfilling life after a cardiovascular event.

If you’re interested in joining Mended Hearts, or in becoming a Mended Hearts volunteer, contact Hazel Covington at 919-350-6888 or hcovington@wakemed.org.

Become a WakeMed Volunteer.

We are incredibly fortunate to have more than 1,400 dedicated volunteers as members of the WakeMed family. Together, the Volunteers at WakeMed Raleigh Campus, North Hospital and the Volunteers at Cary Hospital contribute over 205,000 hours of service to patients, families and staff each year. Join our team and share your time and talents as members of the Guest Ambassador, Courtesy Cart, Hospitality Pet, community sewing programs, among many others. To apply or learn more, visit wakemed.org/volunteer.

 

This article is a reprint from Heart to Heart Magazine. Subscribe today for your free copy.