The Benefits of Giving Blood
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. Blood is used in surgeries, cancer and blood disorder treatments, transplants, serious injuries, and more. Donating blood takes about an hour, from check-in to check-out. Just one unit of blood can save multiple lives.
Many people know that blood donation is a good thing, but they still feel anxious or uncomfortable about the idea. No one likes needles! Here are some additional benefits that might convince you to roll up your sleeve.
Doing good things is good for your health. Helping other people – even strangers – can decrease our own stress, give us a sense of purpose and meaning, and take our minds off our own worries for a while. Donors report feeling an immediate sense of satisfaction after donating.
You get a free mini-checkup. Every time you donate, a staff member will check your blood pressure, pulse, and hemoglobin levels. After your donation, your blood is tested for blood type, sickle cell traits, and infectious diseases. These tests can alert you to other health problems.
Blood can only come from you (and other human beings). Currently, there is no artificial or lab-created blood approved for use in human patients. If a person needs a blood transfusion, the supply of blood must come from another human being with the same blood type. When blood supply is low, blood diversity is low, too. It is likely that some patients will not get the blood they need to recover or survive, especially if they have a rare blood type.
There may be some heart health advantages. Some research studies suggest that blood donation is linked to lower blood pressure and lower risk for heart attacks.
There are always snacks! After you donate, you will be asked to wait 10-15 minutes and enjoy snacks, juice, or water before you leave. This helps to replace your fluids and avoid a drop in blood pressure.
East Central Indiana has two options for donating blood: Versiti of Indiana and the American Red Cross. These websites have great information for first time donors. You can use your zip code to find donation sites near you.
For more motivation, check out these videos from the American Red Cross.
Sources: Indiana Blood Donation Education, Indiana Department of Education; How Helping Others Helps You, Mental Health America; Blood and Diversity: Why is an ethnically diverse blood supply important?, Versiti; Free Health Screenings and Blood Tests, First Time Donors, and How Blood Donations Help Patients, American Red Cross; Blood Substitutes, Medscape; The Surprising Benefits of Donating Blood, New York-Presbyterian Health Matters