Be Kind - It Could Be Good for Your Health
By Happiness Correspondent
Research suggests that kindness is more than just an act of goodwill—it also gives a boost to our own health.
Studies show that simple gestures of kindness—like holding a door, giving someone a compliment, or helping a stranger—may reduce stress, ease physical pain, fight loneliness, and contribute to longer‑term well‑being.
We often think of kindness purely in terms of what it does for others.
Yet, according to Zita Oravecz, a professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Pennsylvania State University, “Kindness can give you this overwhelmingly positive, warm feeling that connects you to the other person.”
Psychologists refer to the effect as “positivity resonance”—a fleeting but powerful moment of shared goodwill with another person. It combines three key features: shared positive emotion, non‑verbal behavioural synchrony (like smiling together), and biological synchrony (for example, heart‑rate alignment).
When these moments occur, our bodies respond. The brain releases neurochemicals such as oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, which help suppress stress hormones like cortisol.
Over time, this can lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
The evidence is compelling. Research shows that regular acts of kindness—from volunteering to helping neighbours—can lower anxiety and stress, lift mood and even ease physical pain.
What’s more, studies focused on “positivity resonance” find that people who frequently experience these shared positive moments report better mental health, less loneliness and fewer physical illness symptoms.
For more see the goods in everyday love: Positivity resonance builds prosociality” – Emotion (J Zhou et al., 2022) Read here and https://www.euronews.com/health/2025/11/14/is-being-kind-good-for-your-health-science-suggests-yes
