Blood donations are one of those things we all know we ‘should’ do, but most of us are more than happy to turn a blind eye. After all, no one embraces the idea of needles, and do you really want to spend any more time in a medical setting than necessary?

Perhaps not, but the fact of the matter is that the NHS alone needs as many as 5,000 donations to meet the needs of patients across England. Despite the 1.3m registered blood donors right now, there’s still a long way to go towards a reliable supply of blood reserves. What’s more, as Bentham Science and other such medical frontrunners recently pointed out on Twitter, March is bleeding disorder awareness month, making our need for blood supplies more evident than ever. As such, there’s never been a better time to consider signing up to your local donor list.

Image by LuAnn Hunt: CC0 Licence

Don’t get us wrong; we understand that this can be scary, which is why we’ve put together a list of potential benefits from doing so.

A much needed helping hand

People with long-term illnesses or even those with more recent diagnosis depend on blood donations to make treatment, and hopefully recovery possible. At the very least, blood supplies thanks to people like you can ease discomfort and provide a boost for at least three in-need patients every session you attended. Who wouldn’t want to save lives by simply sitting still? If you’re unsure whether this alone is incentive enough right now, consider how you would feel if you or a loved one were in desperate need, then sign up on that register already!

A chance for a check-up

Image by Amornthep Srina: CC0 Licence

Blood donation is, of course, a selfless act, but it’s worth noting that it’s not entirely without benefits for you, too. As soon as you arrive at your donation centre, for example, you’ll be in for a free check-up that can make sure everything’s tickedy boo, and can put your mind at ease in the process. Admittedly, these check-ups will be relatively small and limited to your blood itself, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still incredibly useful. By merely donating, you can ensure you’ve got the all-clear for a wide range of conditions you might not test for otherwise, including HIV, high blood pressure, and more. 

Hurrah for health benefits

While you’re aware of the health benefits your blood could bring to someone else, you may also be interested to hear that donation in itself brings a fair few health benefits to you, too. In fact, the benefits on offer from even one donation are vast and include weight loss, anti-cancer benefits and the stimulation of increased blood cell production. So, you may well end up saving two lives in one with your efforts here and not even knowing it!

Signing up to be a blood donor can, undeniably, be daunting. But, with need increasing and benefits like these on the table, it’s difficult to imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to get involved!