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Benefits

Donating blood has benefits for your emotional and physical health. According to a report by the Mental Health Foundation, helping others can:

reduce stress
improve your emotional well-being
benefit your physical health
help get rid of negative feelings
provide a sense of belonging and reduce isolation

Research has found further evidence of the health benefits that come specifically from donating blood.

Free health checkup

In order to give blood, you're required to undergo a health screening. A trained staff member performs this checkup. They'll check your:

pulse
blood pressure
body temperature
hemoglobin levels

This free mini-physical can offer excellent insight into your health. It can effectively detect problems that could indicate an underlying medical condition or risk factors for certain diseases.

Your blood is also tested for several diseases. These include:

hepatitis B
hepatitis C
HIV
West Nile virus
syphilis
Trypanosoma cruzi

Side effects of donating blood

Blood donation is safe for healthy adults. There's no risk of contracting disease. New, sterile equipment is used for each donor.

Some people may feel nauseous, lightheaded, or dizzy after donating blood. If this happens, it should only last a few minutes. You can lie down with your feet up at the until you feel better.

You may also experience some bleeding at the site of the needle. Applying pressure and raising your arm for a couple of minutes will usually stop this. You may develop a bruise at the site.
Call the blood donation center if:

You still feel lightheaded, dizzy, or nauseous after drinking, eating, and resting.
You develop a raised bump or continue bleeding at the needle site.
You have arm pain, numbness, or tingling.

During the donation

You must register to donate blood. This includes providing identification, your medical history, and undergoing a quick physical examination. You'll also be given some information about blood donation to read.

Once you're ready, your blood donation procedure will begin. Whole blood donation is the most common type of donation. This is because it offers the most flexibility. It can be transfused as whole blood or separated into red cells, platelets, and plasma for different recipients.

For a whole blood donation procedure:

You'll be seated in a reclining chair. You can donate blood either sitting or lying down.
A small area of your arm will be cleaned. A sterile needle will then be inserted.
You'll remain seated or lying down while a pint of your blood is drawn. This takes 8 to 10 minutes.
When a pint of blood has been collected, a staff member will remove the needle and bandage your arm.

Other types of donation include:

platelet donation (plateletpheresis)
plasma donation (plasmapheresis)
double red cell donation

These types of donations are performed using a process called apheresis. An apheresis machine is connected to both of your arms. It collects a small amount of blood and separates the components before returning the unused components back to you. This cycle is repeated several times over approximately two hours.

Once your donation is complete, you'll be given a snack and a drink and be able to sit and rest for 10 or 15 minutes before you leave. If you feel faint or nauseous, you'll be able to lie down until you feel better.

What to know before you donate

Here are some important things to know before you donate:

You need to be 17 or older to donate whole blood. Some states allow you to donate at 16 with parental consent.
You have to weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health to donate.
You need to provide information about medical conditions and any medications you're taking. These may affect your eligibility to donate blood.
You must wait at least 8 weeks between whole blood donations and 16 weeks between double red cell donations.
Platelet donations can be made every 7 days, up to 24 times per year.

The following are some suggestions to help you prepare for donating blood: