I am writing this month’s Blog two days after Thanksgiving- that time of year where many people begin thinking about everything they have to be thankful for. Although it’s nice to count your blessings on Thanksgiving, being thankful throughout the year could have tremendous benefits on your quality of life. I am intrigued by the physiological changes that occur in our bodies, when we tap into the cognitive and emotional expressions of gratitude.
More and more researchers are finding that gratitude doesn’t just make you feel like a better person, it’s actually good for your health.
“Clinical trials indicate that the practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting effects in a person’s life,” says Robert A. Emmons, professor of psychology at UC Davis. “It can lower blood pressure, improve immune function and facilitate more efficient sleep.”
One recent study from the University of California San Diego’s School of Medicine found that people who were more grateful actually had better heart health, specifically less inflammation and healthier heart rhythms.
“Gratitude works because, as a way of perceiving and interpreting life, it recruits other positive emotions that have direct physical benefits, most likely through the immune system or endocrine system.”
Research shows that when we think about what we appreciate, the parasympathetic or calming part of the nervous system is triggered and that can have protective benefits on the body, including decreasing cortisol levels and perhaps increasing oxytocin – the bonding hormone involved in relationships that make us feel so good.
Perhaps you have a hard time expressing your thankfulness, not to worry as experts say gratitude is something you can learn.
Medical contributor Dr. David Agus explained the findings of a study in which one group of people were asked to write down what they were thankful for every week, while others wrote about their hassles and a third group wrote about neutral topics. “At the end of 10 weeks, the people who had gratitude, who wrote down the gratitude, actually had better self-esteem and they felt better about themselves and their lives. So it works. All of us can improve by just writing down what we care about.”
In fact, gratitude may be one of the most overlooked tools that we all have access to every day. Cultivating gratitude doesn’t cost any money and it certainly doesn’t take much time, but the benefits are enormous.
Be happy for who you are and what you currently have, and smile- when you do this your whole body changes, you release endorphins and not only do you feel better, you function better as well.
So smile and be thankful, and share your smile and thankfulness with others… it will benefit both of you at the same time.
If you have any questions about this blog or your health in general, please feel free to contact me at: [email protected]