We did a lot of good yesterday and I felt great afterwards.

I’ve often said I think it’s selfish when I do something for others. It’s not that I expect money or anything like it; it’s that it makes me feel good, and as someone who has suffered from depression and anxiety most of the time, this means a lot.

People should be aware of it these days.

And it turns out there is plenty of literature and data to support that idea, even as the haters and grievance legions dismiss science and even experience, which they deem “woke.”

A big part of my experience of aging has been poking around to see whether there is any research-backed benefit to doing good rather than hating. I have the time and the opportunity to try to make the world a bit better by the time I die; this feels better than I can say.

I was surprised to find credible research suggesting kindness and generosity are very good for mental health and emotional well-being. Being “woke” seems to pay off in many ways.

They call them “neurotransmitters – dopamine and endorphins” – that show up in the blood and in our bodies when we perform acts of kindness or empathy. I thought so; I have always felt a “lift” when I do something that is good for others rather than myself. You can try it yourself if you wish. It is selfish in a way, but it also helps others.

Prosocial behaviors, as they are called, act as a buffer against negative emotions that infect our culture these days. Lots of experimental studies demonstrate that engaging in daily acts of kindness lowers symptoms of social anxiety, depression, and loneliness. This is what led me to small acts of kindness. It cured depression and anxiety almost immediately.

This is highly recommended by shrinks for people who have lost spouses, friends, members of the family, or other setbacks and traumas. In layman’s terms, it’s called “working out of it.”

This also explains why our politicians and leaders have become angry and cruel at times. They seem the very opposite of good. Doing good has literally saved me, inspired me, and helped me feel valuable as I aged. Any geriatric specialist will say that it prolongs life.

Volunteering and helping others are also believed to enhance what is called eudaimonic well-being – a sense of purpose, self-esteem, and life satisfaction that is deeper and longer-lasting than “transient” pleasure, something of the moment like eating chocolate.

Then there are things that buffer the physiological impacts of stress. Research shows that acts of kindness to others (like volunteering) lower inflammation and inflammatory genes, which activate the body during stress. Voters seem to be discovering this for themselves – candidates that offer solutions to problems are faring much better than those who promote hatred, judgment, lies, and persecution.

There are physical rewards as well. Long-term and large-scale studies show that people who volunteer or support their neighbors have a significantly reduced risk of mortality compared to those who would focus on hating and persecuting others.

That’s good enough for me. As I age, I’m finally on a good track that nourishes me, rather than diminishes me.

I told a good friend who was forever whining about getting older to get up off of his ass and help somebody in need.

I said I found talking with him depressing.

He has stopped whining and volunteered to visit a nursing home with his dog.

We’re going to lunch next week.