generosity

Fascinating reading this  – generosity is all down to a muscle in the neck….

The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, found that those who were the most generous at their own expense were more able to control their stress levels via the vagus nerve.

Controlling this nerve, which regulates stress from the brain to the body, leads to better physical and mental health as they grow up, the researchers said.

Those who donated the most had the highest “vagal tone” readings. The higher the vagal tone, the more safe and calm one feels leading to better health and social skills generally.

Jonas Miller, the lead researcher, said: “It means we might be wired from a young age to derive a sense of safety from providing care for others.

“Our findings suggest that fostering altruistic tendencies might be one path to promoting better health and well-being for all children.”

He added that rich parents eager to hold on to their money could be unwittingly passing down a decreased “social sensitivity” to their children.