New research suggests that simple acts of kindness like donating gifts to those in need may be all it takes to reverse the effects of this stress.
Study author Emily Ansell of the Yale University School of Medicine in a press release said “Stressful days usually lead us to have a worse mood and poorer mental health, but our findings suggest that if we do small things for others, such as holding a door open for someone, we won’t feel as poorly on stressful days.”
Ansell and her colleagues had 77 adults aged 18 to 44 complete a 14-day experiment in which they used their smartphones to report their daily feelings and experiences.
She added that “For example, if a participant did engage in more prosocial behaviors on stressful days, there was essentially no impact of stress on positive emotion or daily mental health. And there was only a slight increase in negative emotion from stress if the participant engaged in more prosocial behaviors.
“The holiday season can be a very stressful time, so think about giving directions, asking someone if they need help, or holding that elevator door over the next month. It may end up helping you feel just a little bit better.”