New research shows that just one weekly activity could help you live a longer, healthier life: volunteering.
The study should be published in the January issue social sciences and medicine, found that volunteering—even just one hour a week—is associated with slower biological aging, which reflects how old cells and tissues look compared to your actual age.
The researchers controlled for other health variables that can slow biological aging — including frequency of physical activity, smoking status, heavy drinking, obesity and more — and still found a link between volunteer work and slower biological aging.
Here’s what the study found, what biological age really means, and why volunteering could lead to a longer life.
Researchers analyzed self-reported data from 2,605 Americans age 62 and older. They examined how often participants volunteered, noted whether they were working or retired, and determined their biological age using advanced tools to measure aging at the cellular level.
The results showed that people who volunteered one to four hours per week experienced slower biological aging compared to those who did not volunteer at all.
Retirees appeared to benefit the most, with a stronger association between volunteering and aging more slowly than current members of the workforce, even with just one hour of volunteering per week.
Also, the more someone volunteered, the more pronounced the impact on health. Volunteering more than four hours per week was associated with the greatest reduction in the acceleration of biological aging, regardless of employment status.
This is consistent with previous research showing that volunteering can reduce mortality among older adults. A 2023 study used a similar method to look at the impact of volunteering on biological aging and also found that volunteering was associated with slower biological aging. A new study has revealed additional differences between retired and working people.
However, the new research is not without its limitations. “Volunteering is not an isolated act,” Hundreds of Zalzal, MDlongevity doctor and medical director of AgelessRk, said Health.
“To volunteer, you have to be in good health.” You must be optimistic about your fellow man. You have to have enough free time and income,” said Zalzala. “Researchers have tried to compensate for all these other variables that are known to improve health, but it’s really hard to do.”
Biological age is a measurement of how old your cells and tissues are and reveals how slowly or quickly you age compared to your chronological age, which is simply how many years you have lived.
There are a number of different tests that can determine biological age, from examining biomarkers such as blood pressure and heart rate to looking at physical appearance such as wrinkles and gray hair.
One common method for assessing biological age — which was used in the new study — is epigenetic tests, which examine how your behavior and environment cause changes in the expression of your DNA.
“As we age, our genetic material DNA wears down,” Gary Small, MDdepartment of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center Health. “So you usually look at chronological age, but now we can measure that with what’s called biological age, which looks at how cells and tissues age, which is a predictor of mortality.”
For example, Zalzala said, if a 40-year-old’s biological age is 60, that could be an indication of poor health and reduced longevity. On the other hand, if someone’s biological age is younger than their chronological age, it is a sign of better health and potentially a longer lifespan.
However, it’s worth noting that the science of epigenetic testing may not yet be mature enough to put too much weight on the data, Zalzala cautioned.
So why does volunteering have such a profound effect on health and longevity? Experts point to a combination of physical, social and psychological benefits.
First, volunteering often involves physical activity, such as walking, which contributes to healthier aging.
Social connections also play a key role. “We live in a society where we’re usually not as connected as we should be,” Zalzala said. “Volunteering can provide that social network.”
This can reduce stress and improve cognitive function. “We know that loners don’t age well,” Small added. “If you’re isolated, you don’t have many conversations.” You have no emotional connection with others. Such experiences help us to live longer.”
Volunteering can also create a sense of purpose, improve mental health and mitigate any loss of important roles, such as spouses or parents, as we age, according to the study’s authors.
“Volunteering can give us a bit of a psychological lift and make an individual feel like they’re trying to do something to make the world a better place,” Zalzala said.
Whether it’s mentoring, organizing a community event or sharing a meal, volunteering can help you live longer and better. “Hopefully this will get the attention of policy makers and we can encourage people to volunteer more,” Small said.