Mental Health Awareness Week from the 10th - 16th May is focusing on the power and potential of kindness.

Kindness is this year’s theme because of it’s ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. Our individual and collective mental health depend on kindness, and it is something that everyone should experience and practice.

Research has shown that if you are kind, it can really make you happier and we are all familiar learning it from an early age that the golden rule is to treat others the way you want to be treated. There are a number of real-life benefits associated with the way we treat others and science shows that we are all wired to be kind and develop our skills into adulthood with practice and repetition. However, due to outside influences and the stress of our day-to-day lives, we can lose this inherent ability.

But if this is the case, then its never too late to be kind to others and kind to yourself!

There are a number of reasons backed by science of ways to improve our health through kindness and why its beneficial to be kind;  

Kindness releases feel-good hormones

Have you ever noticed that when you do something nice for someone else, it makes you feel better too? This isn’t just something that happens randomly—it has to do with the pleasure centers in your brain.

Kindness eases anxiety

Anxiety, whether it’s mild nervousness or severe panic, is extrenmely common,being nice to others can be one of the easiest, most inexpensive ways to keep anxiety at bay. Even a small gesture can make a big difference.

Kindness is good for your heart

Bbeing nice to others can also affect the actual chemical balance of your heart as being kind releases the hormone oxytocin which reduces blood pressure.

It can help you live longer

Research shows that you are at a greater risk of heart disease if you don’t have a strong network of family and friends. When you’re kind to others, you develop strong, meaningful relationships and friendships.

It reduces stress 

Helping others lets you get outside of yourself and take a break from the stressors in your own life, and this behavior can also make you better equipped to handle stressful situations.

Kindness prevents illness

Kindness can trigger oxytocin’s release which reduces inflammation which can be associated with all sorts of health problems such as diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, and migraines.

It doesnt take alot to be kind and it means so much and can make such a difference!

In a world where you can be anything -

Be kind!

#KindnessMatters, #KindnessBLMK and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek