Volunteering beats holiday blues.

• Position: Christmas Spirit - Brief article

Volunteering to do good at Christmastime also may be good for you, suggests Kenneth Ferraro, a professor of sociology at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. "There is certainly a social benefit for volunteers, especially for older adults, because it engages them with others. Plus, it helps people of all ages with their outlook. When you help others, the problems you have may not seem as difficult or insurmountable. changes our perspective. They say the holidays a time to count your blessings and focus on the positive. Volunteering implicitly does that."

Ferraro's research, which focuses on adults older than 45, demonstrates that individuals who volunteer regularly have lower levels of depressive symptoms, and their blood pressure and cardiovascular health is better. These results are more likely for individuals who find the right dose of volunteer activities, he indicates. "Some...