Better to give than to receive
13 December 2002
We all know that Christmas is a time of giving, through actions as well as gifts. But did you know that friendly Christmas deeds could actually reduce your risk of dying in the next 5 years by up to 60 per cent?
A US study has found that older people who do not help others are more than twice as likely to die than people who give some help, reinforcing the notion that it really is better to give than receive.
'Making a contribution to the lives of other people may help extend our own lives,' said University of Michigan psychologist and lead author Stephanie Brown, whose work will appear in the journal Psychological Science.
'In other words ... it isn't what we get from relationships that makes contact with others so beneficial; it's what we give.'
The 5-year study involved 423 older couples, each of whom was asked about the type of practical support they provided for friends or relatives, if they could count on help from others when needed, and about the emotional support they gave each other.
A total of 134 people died over the 5 years. After adjusting for a variety of factors — including age, gender and physical and emotional health — the researchers found an association between reduced risk of dying and giving help. But there was no association between receiving help and reduced death risk.
Last Reviewed: 12 December 2002
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