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4 Daily Gratitude Benefits Mind and Body
Science Shows Gratitude Is a Path to Better Health THE GRATITUDE EFFECT
As our thoughts turn to improving our lives in the New Year, one of the most often recommended resolutions is to practice gratitude. The power of gratitude is so widely recognized that the United Nations has even declared a global day to celebrate it, World Gratitude Day. The value of gratitude is more than symbolic, however. A growing body of research links practicing gratitude in one’s daily life with improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and better cardiovascular health. In a four-year study of almost 50,000 nurses published in JAMA Psychiatry, participants who ranked in the highest one-third for maintaining a grateful attitude also had a 9% lower risk of mortality over the ensuing four years, compared with those in the bottom one- third. The nurses’ gratitude rating was based on responses to a six-item questionnaire with such queries as, “I have so much in life to be thankful for.” The lower mortality rate held firm even after researchers controlled for the effects of physical health and economic circumstances, suggesting that gratitude has protective power against declining health. One possible factor is that grateful people tend to sleep better. In a 2020 review of eight clinical studies, people who practiced gratitude report deeper, sounder sleep than those who didn’t. Keeping a gratitude journal
also reduces diastolic blood pressure, a key marker of cardiovascular disease.
In addition, evoking feelings of gratitude activates reward regions of the brain, increasing feelings of contentment and well-being, research shows. That helps explain why gratitude can allay anxiety: It helps counteract an anxious person’s tendency to focus on the negative and expect the worst. GETTING STARTED Making a habit of practicing gratitude can start with just a few simple steps. In a journal, write down just one thing each day for which you’re grateful. When you notice you are feeling negative or frustrated, pause for a moment and deliberately shift your thoughts to something positive. Another helpful habit is to share your gratitude with someone else. Write a note daily or weekly expressing your gratitude to someone who helped you, or make a habit at every evening meal of sharing one or two things you’re grateful for. None of these practices will take more than a few minutes a day. But based on the research, they could make a major difference over time in your sleep, mood, and health!
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