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Volunteering can make you happier and help you live longer, according to new study. research paper published on Friday in journal BMC Public Health says doing good deeds for others boosts your mental health and increases your longevity. Researchers from UK's University of Exeter reviewed 40 academic papers into effects of volunteerism on our health. They found that volunteers had lower rates of depression, increased sense of well-being, and 22 per cent reduction in chances of dying within next seven years. Australians lead way in volunteering, with estimated 36 per cent of population lending hand.

Lead researcher Dr Suzanne Richards said: "Our systematic review shows that volunteering is associated with improvements in mental health, but more work is needed to establish whether volunteering is actually cause." She added: "It is still unclear whether biological and cultural factors and social resources that are often associated with better health and survival are also associated with willingness to volunteer in first place." In separate study from University of Michigan, researchers suggested three reasons why volunteering may be beneficial. First, it involves physical activity; second, social connections we make help to reduce our stress; and third, it gives us deep sense of happiness.