How kindness affects your body
Kindness can be practical, like offering support or giving help, but it can also be quiet and everyday – showing patience, expressing gratitude, checking in on someone, or simply choosing to empathize when it would be easier not to.
Dr. Sadie Elisseau, a primary care physician in Greater Boston, USA, and an advocate of trauma-informed care, says that kindness – like all human behavior – can be understood through different lenses.
From a biological perspective, she explains, kindness can trigger a set of hormonal responses that reinforce it as a positive behavior. When you do an act of kindness, your body releases certain chemicals that affect the way you feel, think, and connect with others.
These include:
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oxytocin – Often called the ‘love hormone’, it is released during close bonding and bonding, such as breastfeeding, and plays an important role in forming social bonds.
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dopamine – A feel-good chemical associated with pleasure and reward, which can contribute to what is sometimes described as a ‘helpful high’.
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serotonin – A neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and contributes to feelings of well-being and emotional stability.
“These biological effects also come into focus when we receive or witness kindness from others,” says Elisseau. “In short, kindness is an inherent biological mechanism that helps humans feel good with other humans – and thus supports our survival.”
What is ‘Helpers High’?
‘Helpers’ high’ may sound a little Breaking Bad, but it’s actually a well-documented effect recognized by clinical experts.
Chicago-based physician and Switch4Good Inc. According to Dr. Laxman Mulpuri, medical advisor to the Health Sciences, a ‘helper’s high’ is a phenomenon associated with increased endorphins, elevated mood, a feeling of warmth in the body and a sense of meaning or purpose.
“People on the receiving end also experience benefits – reduced stress, increased feelings of connectedness and emotional relief,” he says. “Although we have less direct research on the neurochemical response of the recipient than that of the giver, the psychological and stress-reducing effects are well documented.
“In short, kindness creates benefits for both people involved.”
Beyond the general feel-good vibes, research shows that acts of kindness, in whatever form they take, can have a positive impact on your health. These benefits aren’t just limited to mental well-being – they can affect your physical health too.
Less stress, feel better
Our stress hormones aren’t designed to make us anxious—they actually help us succeed in certain situations.
Elisseau explains that while stress hormones can help you perform well on tests, too much stress can be toxic and hurt your performance.
“Studies show that kindness reduces cortisol in a way that has positive effects on health,” she says. “For example, less ‘bad stress’ means better heart health, better immunity and increased mental well-being.”
Mulpuri says reducing cortisol levels through acts of kindness can also reduce inflammation, improve sleep and boost metabolic health, helping prevent conditions like diabetes.
“Kindness helps to gently ease that tension,” he says.
How kindness helps your heart
Oxytocin – one of the hormones released during acts of kindness – may aid heart health.
“Research shows that oxytocin may promote blood vessel relaxation and may help reduce blood pressure in some contexts,” says Mulpuri. “Studies have also found that oxytocin has anti-inflammatory properties, which could theoretically benefit heart health over time.”
However, he notes that most of the evidence comes from studies where oxytocin is given in controlled settings – not from the natural stimulation we get through normal social interaction.
He added, “We can say with greater confidence that positive social connections and supportive relationships are consistently associated with better heart health outcomes.”
“Who you surround yourself with matters. Whether oxytocin is the primary driver of this benefit, or one of several factors, is still being researched.“
Can kindness help you live longer?
Some evidence suggests that acts of kindness may affect the body in ways that may even support longer life.
Eliseu points out that several studies have shown that strong social support — including positive, supportive relationships — is linked to longevity.
She says: “A growing body of research shows that kindness, empathy and compassion can affect everything from our bodies to our cells.”
Mulpuri agrees, noting that people who regularly engage in helpful behavior toward others live longer, develop fewer long-term health conditions, and maintain better cognitive function.
“Supportive, compassionate relationships strengthen these effects,” he says. “Humans are biologically built for connection. Longevity isn’t just about what you eat or how much exercise you get – it’s also about belonging, meaning and mutual care.”
Mulpuri says consistent positive social interactions may be especially important. This is because they help reduce stress and strengthen feelings of security and belonging, which can reduce long-term physical wear and tear.
long term mental health benefits
As a physician, Eliseu says many of her socially isolated patients experience greater symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
She explains: “In contrast, people who are involved in a strong social network, and who contribute to causes they find meaningful, are more likely to be happier, seek less psychiatric medication, and struggle less day-to-day with mental health symptoms.”
Mulpuri says that, in people with anxiety, acts of kindness can activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and promote a sense of calm.
“In people struggling with depression, this ‘feel-good’ chemical can increase dopamine and reduce rumination by shifting attention outward,” he says. “It also strengthens social connection, directly addressing loneliness.”
He notes that this applies to both sides of the exchange – those who give feel more meaningful and connected, while those who receive feel seen and valued.
“From a clinical perspective, engaging in prosocial behavior is one of the most accessible interventions we can recommend for mental health support,” he says.
How to make kindness a daily habit?
There are countless ways to practice kindness, and no one approach is better than another. What seems meaningful to one person may seem completely different to someone else. Random Acts of Kindness Foundation Provides lots of practical tips You can start using immediately.
Our experts also share some guidelines to keep in mind if you want to make kindness a more regular part of everyday life.
Eliseu explains that kindness can be as simple or complex as you like.
“Consider taking a moment daily when you wake up to feel grateful for being alive, accepting your body, and committing to taking care of yourself,” she says. “Think about how you can make someone else’s day a little easier, brighter or more hopeful. Kindness is often the most powerful in those small moments you share with others.”
Mulpuri says kindness can be as simple as genuine listening — not trying to solve someone’s problems, but simply being present.
“It’s small, consistent actions like checking in or offering help,” he explains. “It’s expressing appreciation out loud and being kind without expecting anything in return.
“Towards yourself, this means gentle self-talk, talking to yourself like you would talk to a loved one. This allows yourself to relax without guilt, set healthy boundaries, and allow for imperfection. Self-compassion strengthens your ability to maintain outward kindness over time.”
Mulpuri concludes by describing how kindness has real biological power. It affects our stress hormones, supports heart health, and may even affect cellular aging.
“The little moments matter,” he says. “Your body knows it, even if your mind doesn’t. And the people around you feel it, too.”
