If you are in your golden years and have some free time to spare, why not consider volunteering? After all, it is a great activity that can keep you young at heart and is also full of numerous benefits. Here is how volunteering as a mature adult can benefit you.
Prevent Depression
After retirement, many of those in their golden years tend to get sad or depressed. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence because of social isolation and boredom. Thankfully, volunteering promotes self-esteem and allows you to build strong social ties with people who share your values. At the same time, helping others causes the brain to produce dopamine, the same feel-good hormone that makes you feel good after a workout.
Improve Your Physical Health
Volunteering can help you maintain your physical health. Furthermore, it was found that volunteers have a lower death rate than non-volunteers. Those in their golden years found that they are more likely to walk, perform ordinary chores easily, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have higher cognitive abilities simply because they volunteered. In fact, the physical health benefits do not just stop there. Volunteering can also help to alleviate chronic pain symptoms and lower the risk of heart disease.
Enhance Your Mental Health
Did you know that volunteering can help you cope with anger, stress, and worry? These are just some of the many ways that volunteering can improve your mental health and keep you young at heart. In fact, it is found that volunteering can also have a significant impact on your overall psychological well-being because it involves working with people. Indeed a meaningful connection to someone else is the top few ways to relieve stress. If you are volunteering with animals such as pets, it is even better. This is because working with animals has been found to further increase your mood and reduce stress and anxiety.
Boost Your Social and Relational Abilities
Some individuals are naturally extroverted, while others are introverted and find it difficult to meet new people. Volunteering not only allows you to practice but also enhances your social skills because you regularly meet with a group of people who have the same interests as you. It’s easy to explore and make new friends or contacts once you have got the hang of it.
Expand Your Social Network
Volunteering in your golden years also allows you to enlarge your social network. After all, gathering together for a common cause, allows you to enhance your friendship and provide more opportunities to meet new people. This is especially useful if you are unfamiliar with the people around you, or the area around you as volunteering provides a common ground of interest. In addition, it not only develops your community links but also expands your social network by introducing you to others who have the same interests.
Have A Better Sense of Purpose
Another way volunteering keeps you young in heart? Volunteering gives you a new sense of purpose and accomplishment. This is especially so if you have recently just retired, lost a spouse, or have too much free time and are unsure of what to do in life. As such, volunteering as a mature adult is a great distraction that helps you take your mind away from your personal issues. At the same time, it also keeps you cognitively challenged, and add more color to your life.
