People who go out of their way to help or serve others often enjoy surprisingly powerful benefits. In 1988 the Institute for the Advancement of Health in New York City conducted a survey of more than seventeen hundred women who regularly volunteer to help others. The participants reported that helping another person not only generates emotional satisfaction but has physical benefits as well, including increased energy and a 'helper's calm' that can provide relief from stress-related disorders such as high blood pressure, headaches, and body aches and pains.