Why Giving Feels Good

There is more to life than increasing its speed. -Gandhi

If you dole out more TLC to your friends or family than you get in return (and let's face it-so many women do), here's some news that may make you feel better. Women who give more to others emotionally than they receive are physically healthier than those who give less than they get, according to a new Finnish and Dutch study, in which the "giving" group took 50 percent fewer sick days than the "gimme" group.

Researchers speculate that because women value their traditional roles as nurturers and caregivers, they gain a greater sense of self-worth when they live up to that image. "Providing emotional support to family and friends is an important part of a woman's identity;' explains the study's lead researcher, Abraham Buunk, Ph.D., member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Art~ and Sciences. That self-esteem boost has a positive effect on health because it helps regulate the pituitary hormone oxytocin, which lowers cortisol levels and blood pressure.