Generosity Cheers Mind, Body and Spirit
Altruistic Acts Activate Happiness Neurons in the Brain
zhuk _ ladybug/Shutterstock.com
A Swiss study gave volunteers $25 a week for four weeks, and told half of them to spend the money on themselves and the others to spend it to benefit others. Subsequent brain scans revealed a link between the altruistic acts and feelings of contentment, activating neurons in the ventral striatum associated with happiness. Even the intention alone to be more generous was enough to create these changes, and the amount spent did not influence the increase in levels of well-being. The discovery sheds fresh light on why many people feel gratified when giving, even when it costs them something.
This article appears in the January 2018 issue of Natural Awakenings.
Edit ModuleShow Tags
More from Natural Awakenings
This month provides a great opportunity to get out of the house and learn about living your best life. The Healthy Life Expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on February 9 and 10, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, and promises to be the biggest show yet.
Start the journey of quieting your mind and living through your heart with the OnenessNLP 101 course, presented from February 15 to 17, by IntraAwareness, in Minneapolis.
SchaOn Blodgett, CCP, BTAT, with Psinergy Natural Health and Holistic Wellness, recently completed the newest yearly update training in Esogetic Holistic Medicine and Colorpuncture.
This Valentine’s Day, let’s rewrite what it means to be “in love”.
Ask yourself, is being in love just for people in a couple relationship or can it be expanded to include even more? This year, let’s expand what it means.
Learn about very subtle plant medicines, namely flower essences, that can affect the mind/spirit, allowing us to promote physical heart health.