Author: Eva Teyssier | Editor: Laure PAULY
We often hear that giving back is good for the community, but did you know it may also benefit your health? The concept of the Helper’s High, first described in the 1980s, refers to the positive emotions experienced after engaging in selfless acts (1). Better health and increased longevity have been associated with this psychological state, and volunteering has long been linked to a range of health benefits. Research shows that volunteers tend to report better overall health and cognitive functioning (2). While these findings do not necessarily prove that helping others directly causes these benefits, they suggest an intriguing possibility: under certain conditions, helping others may also support our own well-being (3).
What happens in the brain when we volunteer?
Volunteering does not just make you feel good conceptually; it physically may alter your brain’s chemistry and activity. When you make a generous decision, it activates your brain’s reward center. This activity is directly linked to measurable increases in your overall happiness (4). Furthermore, volunteering may act as a natural biological shield against daily stress. Studies tracking volunteers day-to-day have shown that on the days people volunteer, their body releases less cortisol (our primary stress hormone) in response to everyday stressors (5). By keeping stress hormones in check, volunteering protects the brain from the “wear and tear” of chronic stress.
The emotional power of giving back
This “Helper’s High” does more than make you smile; it may also help buffer against negative emotions such as loneliness and hopelessness. Research suggests that volunteering is associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, particularly in older adults (6,7,8). People who dedicate significant time to helping others tend to be more optimistic, exhibit higher positive affect, and report a greater sense of purpose in life (7).
These psychological benefits are closely linked to brain health. Depression is a well-established risk factor for accelerated cognitive decline and dementia (9). While the exact pathways are still being studied, these findings suggest that the emotional and social benefits of volunteering could contribute to protecting long-term brain health.
A natural brain workout
Beyond the direct chemical and psychological changes, volunteering seems to be a powerful antidote to social isolation and loneliness (which are risk factors for dementia), especially later in life. By actively engaging in your community, you harness the brain-protecting benefits of social connection (see article on social isolation). Furthermore, volunteering inherently may boost your physical and mental activity (6), both of which directly protect your brain. Because physical inactivity is a well-established risk factor for brain aging and cognitive decline (9), getting out of the house to help others provides a crucial neurological benefit.
Whether a role requires you to move around, solve problems, or navigate social interactions, you are putting your brain and body to work. Much like going to the gym keeps you in shape, this combined physical and mental engagement (to varying degrees depending on the type of volunteer work) keeps your mind sharp. Ultimately, this built-in cognitive and physical workout can explain why regular volunteering is associated with better overall cognitive function and protection against age-related decline.
All in all … Volunteering requires time and energy, but the return on investment on your brain is positive. It may improve social, physical, and cognitive activity, which in turn may improve your overall functioning through biological and psychological mechanisms. So, the next time you offer a helping hand, remember that you aren’t just improving someone else’s life, you are actively nourishing your own brain.
Did you know that volunteering plays a central role in Luxembourg’s social cohesion, with 35% of the population engaged in volunteer work, placing the country among the top in Europe? (10) It’s a powerful way to contribute to society while gaining new skills and enriching your own well‑being. Be part of the movement, do something for others, and indirectly, for your brain.
If you feel inspired to get involved, explore current volunteering opportunities in Luxembourg at benevolat.lu, the national platform connecting volunteers with associations across the country.
For better readability of the text, the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, an AI language model based on the GPT-4 architecture, secured with UL enterprise data protection, has been used.
- Dossey L. (2018). The Helper’s High. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 14(6), 393–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2018.10.003
- Bekkers, R., Konrath, S. H., & Smith, D. H. (2016). Physiological correlates of volunteering. In Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks (pp. 541–579). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-26317-9_26
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- Park, S. Q., Kahnt, T., Dogan, A., Strang, S., Fehr, E., & Tobler, P. N. (2017). A neural link between generosity and happiness. Nature communications, 8, 15964. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15964
- Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2018). Stress-buffering effects of volunteering on salivary cortisol: Results from a daily diary study. Social science & medicine (1982), 201, 120–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.02.011
- Anderson, N. D., Damianakis, T., Kröger, E., Wagner, L. M., Dawson, D. R., Binns, M. A., Bernstein, S., Caspi, E., Cook, S. L., & BRAVO Team (2014). The benefits associated with volunteering among seniors: a critical review and recommendations for future research. Psychological bulletin, 140(6), 1505–1533. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037610
- Kim, E. S., Whillans, A. V., Lee, M. T., Chen, Y., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2020). Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach. American journal of preventive medicine, 59(2), 176–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.004
- Musick, M. A., & Wilson, J. (2002). Volunteering and depression: the role of psychological and social resources in different age groups. Social Science & Medicine, 56(2), 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-9536(02)00025-4
- Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Liu, K. Y., Costafreda, S. G., Selbæk, G., Alladi, S., Ames, D., Banerjee, S., Burns, A., Brayne, C., Fox, N. C., Ferri, C. P., Gitlin, L. N., Howard, R., Kales, H. C., Kivimäki, M., Larson, E. B., Nakasujja, N., Rockwood, K., . . . Mukadam, N. (2024). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. The Lancet, 404(10452), 572–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(24)01296-0
- Volunteering. (2026, August 1). Luxembourg. https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/living/quality-of-life/volunteering-foundation-kraizbierg-corporate-luxembourg.html
