Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/EAor3z2zmXE

 

Kindness to others can reduce your feelings of pain.  This the conclusion of Chinese experiments just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

In one experiment, the needle jab to donate blood hurt less when volunteers were giving to earthquake victims rather than making a routine donation.  In another, subjects were exposed to extreme cold but those working on a project to help migrant children complained less about the temperature.  In a third experiment, cancer patients helping to care for others noticed their own pain less.

 

Previous studies have shown that giving will bring you and others happiness.  Now, we know that charitable deeds also have therapeutic benefits for you.

 

Yilu Wang et al. Altruistic behaviors relieve physical pain, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2019). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911861117

 

#Charity #pain #altruism