Kindness Improves Brain Chemistry
According to an article published by the author in the American magazine Inc., treating others with kindness satisfies the body with dopamine, a hormone associated with pleasure, along with serotonin, which acts as a mood stabilizer, while simultaneously lowering cortisol levels, the stress hormone whose elevation is linked to adverse effects on heart health.
The author noted that a comprehensive review conducted by the American Psychological Association of 201 studies concluded that small, random acts of kindness are particularly effective in producing this positive impact.
The benefits are not limited to the person performing the act of kindness. The author quotes psychiatrist Narenine Hartounian, founder of the Rowan Center for Behavioral Medicine, who describes this state scientifically as “Helper’s High,” a measurable brain state associated with positive feelings and pain relief. She added that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans show that acts of kindness activate the same brain regions that light up when receiving money.
The author also pointed out that merely witnessing an act of kindness performed by others triggers the same hormones in the observer, making kindness an effective leadership tool. When employees observe their leader acting kindly, they themselves feel happier and less stressed, becoming more inclined to replicate the same behavior, especially when they see it as a prevailing norm in the workplace.
The author proposed several simple daily opportunities to practice random acts of kindness, including:
• Picking up some litter from the ground and throwing it in the trash.
The author cited a famous example from 2020, when 900 consecutive drivers at a Dairy Queen outlet in Minnesota paid for the order of the car behind them, in a chain that lasted two and a half days, serving as a vivid example of the contagious power of this type of behavior.
The author concluded that while some experts recommend performing five small acts of kindness daily, she advises those who find this number overwhelming to start with just one, as this is sufficient to change a person’s mindset and make them more motivated to seize opportunities for kindness whenever they arise.
