The Helper’s High — in humans and animals
This week’s Better You, Backed by Science is about how helping others supports your mental and physical health — and how our bonds with animals can protect your heart.
We’re genetically wired to care. When we show kindness or compassion, the body doesn’t stay neutral. We receive a genuine biological boost — mentally and physically.
This isn’t a new idea. It’s been studied for decades, and I’ve written about it in several of my books.
One of the earliest large studies was conducted by Allan Luks at Fordham University. He surveyed 3,296 people who regularly volunteered and found that:
- 95% felt good when they helped
- 80% experienced positive feelings that lasted hours or even days
- 57% reported improved self-worth
Luks coined the term “The Helper’s High.”
A boost to your heart
Helping others doesn’t just feel good — it’s also good for your heart.
Acts of kindness are cardioprotective. They cause blood vessels to relax and widen, which lowers blood pressure and reduces strain on the heart.
This happens whether you help someone practically, offer emotional support, or even share a warm hug.
And it applies to kindness towards animals too.
Large population studies show that people who live with dogs or cats have a significantly lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death.
One major analysis in particular, involving almost 4 million people, found that dog ownership was associated with:
- 24% lower risk of death from any cause
- 31% lower risk of death from cardiovascular events
A key reason appears to be consistent affection and close, loving interaction — which activates calming, heart-protective biological pathways.
A boost to your immune system
Kindness also supports your immune health.
Research comparing kindness towards others versus kindness towards oneself found that kindness to others influenced the genetic activity of immune cells in the bloodstream. Specifically, it reduced inflammatory activity and enhanced natural antiviral responses.
For the record, it doesn’t mean that kindness towards ourselves isn’t healthy, because it definitely is. But those benefits are more to our mental wellbeing and help calm the nervous system.
The effects of kindness to others does raise an interesting question…
Our ancestral legacy
Why does helping others have such powerful effects on the body?
Our ancestors didn’t survive by competing relentlessly. They survived by cooperating, sharing resources, and caring for one another.
“Survival of the fittest” doesn’t mean the strongest or fastest — it means the behaviour best suited to life and the environment.
Caring behaviours in our ancient ancestors were best suited – and it meant living longer because they helped each other and shared resources. Over time, kindness became associated with healthy systems of the body – like healthier hearts and more robust immune systems.
In other words, nature baked health benefits into kindness as a reward.
The way we access those rewards today is simple — though not always easy:
We help each other. As best we can.
Because we really are in this together.
Try This (gentle mental practices)
Kindness often begins inside us.
1. Silent kindness
In a public space (e.g., on a train, in a coffee shop, an office), choose one person and silently wish them well:
“I hope something good happens for you today.”
Or some other kind wish you’d like to send to them.
2. Ping kindness
A version of this is to ‘ping’ a ball of light in their direction. Sometimes, as I walk along a street, I mentally ‘ping’ a ball of light to random people – with a colour, size, texture, shape that represents what I intuitively feel they need. I even flick my finger as I do it, as if I’m literally, physically, pinging a ball of light to them.
You might see someone looking sad so you ping them happiness, support, or a kind wish for their life, for example. Or if you see someone looking tired, you might ping them energy, or a wish that something good happens for them today that lifts them.
Try it out. You can do it as you walk along a street, or anywhere else you see people, whether in a public space or even in your own home.
3. “Just like me”
If you feel annoyed, frustrated, or upset with someone (whether at home, work, or even if someone cuts in front of you in traffic), take a breath and silently say:
“Just like me, this person wants to be happy.”
“Just like me, this person has known hurt and sadness.”
“Just like me, this person is just doing the best they can, given all that’s gone before.”
Want to go deeper?
🎥 Watch my YouTube video where I further explore the biology of kindness.
References (if you’re curious)
- About Allan Luks. Link here.
- Kindness reduces blood pressure. Link here.
- Kindness is cardioprotective. My books that dive into this. The Five Side Effects of Kindness, The Joy of Actually giving a Fck &The Little Book of Kindness (illustrated)
- Hugs reduce blood pressure. Link here.
- Kindness impacts the immune system. Link here.
- Having a dog lowers risk of death and cardiovascular events. Link here.
- Having a cat reduces risk of heart attack and stroke. Link here.
More
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