By Claire Brinsden Jordan
As the season of Thanksgiving approaches, take a moment to consider all the things in your life for which you are grateful – family, friends, pets, your health, and your home. Perhaps you might also be thankful for a career that brings you great satisfaction, a hobby that you enjoy, or our beautiful city. When it seems the world is in turmoil, and difficult situations arise in your own life, it’s easy to get pulled into the gray fog of discontent. These are the times when gratitude is most important. But what is gratitude? Is it a mood, an emotion, a natural disposition, or a social construct? Cicero said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” There is scientific evidence that gratitude evolved as a mechanism to drive “reciprocal altruism” – you do something for someone, and they are more likely to show gratitude and repay the favor later. As humans we possess gratitude both by nature, embedded in our genes and brains, and by nurture, influenced by religion, culture and parenting. As well as being the “social glue” that binds people, several studies suggest that grateful people are also healthier.
Health Benefits
The effects of feeling gratitude are a wonderful example of the brain-body connection. Expressing and receiving thanks triggers a release of the “feel-good” neurotransmitters in the brain that make you feel happier. There is evidence that gratitude encourages the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) to slow the heart rate and stimulate digestion, increasing relaxation. The PNS counteracts the “fight-or-flight” response of the sympathetic nervous system in times of stress, reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Over time this lowers blood pressure and increases vagal nerve tone, soothing the nervous system and boosting immunity. Recent research shows that grateful people have fewer health complaints like headaches, respiratory infections, digestive issues, and sleep problems. It also shows that actively practicing gratitude can help alleviate those same health issues. Grateful people tend to engage in healthier activities and eating behaviors, and even enjoy better, deeper sleep. Gratitude rewires your brain to be more psychologically resilient against anxiety and depression and develop a more positive mindset. This rewiring can help you better cope with emotions during difficult times. Practicing gratitude can also improve focus, enhancing concentration and cognitive processing, making mental tasks easier for personal and professional success.
Practicing Gratitude
A regular focus on practicing gratitude can help you reap all its health benefits. Take a few minutes every day to think about what you are thankful for. Self-appreciation is a great way to start. Stand in front of a mirror and acknowledge five good things you appreciate about yourself. I know some of us are not fond of mirrors, but this is an exercise in focusing on ALL things, not just physical things. Perhaps you have a talent, virtue or achievement you want to compliment. Regularly practicing self-appreciation can boost your mood and self-esteem, and ultimately give you a more positive worldview. Keeping a gratitude journal is another helpful practice. Take a few minutes every few days to write down all the things you are grateful for in detail. You can refer to this journal when you need a reminder of all the things that are positive in your life. You can also write thank you letters, emails, and text messages to express your gratitude to others. I am a big proponent of hand-written notes, which are more personal and emotionally satisfying for both sender and recipient. Meditation is another useful tool when practicing gratitude. Find a quiet place to sit, close your eyes, and think about the many amazing gifts in your life. I prefer to do this outside in nature, as I’m always grateful for our beautiful planet and the incredible creatures that live on it. Practicing gratitude as a family or group can also help social connections. Perhaps go around the dinner table and name one thing you’re grateful for or take a walk together and discuss the good things that happened that week. Finally, there is nothing more rewarding than acts of kindness. If you want to foster gratitude in others, then give them a reason to feel grateful. According to Sara Algoe, an associate professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, “gratitude starts inside one individual and its effects spread to a dyadic relationship and perhaps throughout a social network.”
As humans, we suffer from headwind/tailwind imbalance, meaning we tend to focus on the challenges we face (headwinds), rather than the benefits we have been given in life (tailwinds). Other barriers to gratitude are narcissism (vanity and self-absorption), cynicism (distrust and disbelief), and materialism (coveting money and “stuff”). Culture also affects how gratitude is viewed and experienced. One study found that men in the United States felt gratitude less frequently and hid their gratitude more compared to men in Germany, perhaps because they view it as a sign of weakness. Another study in the UK found that gratitude was associated with negative emotions like guilt, embarrassment and awkwardness. Instead of these negative associations, we need to view gratitude as a kind of superpower. Cultivating gratitude is the key to better health, happiness and wisdom in ourselves and our community.
So, in this season of Thanksgiving, I challenge you to practice gratitude towards yourself and others. Write a note, be kind and helpful, be grateful and allow yourself some grace. You’ll be healthier for it!