Over the past twenty years, a growing body of evidence shows that gratitude offers a wealth of benefits for our physical and mental health. The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley describes gratitude as the “social glue” that helps build and nurture strong relationships. A Mindful article lays out some of gratitude’s many benefits – and the science behind it.

What is gratitude?

Robert Emmons, professor of psychology at UC Davis, is one of the world’s preeminent experts on the science of gratitude. He defines gratitude as having two parts. First is “an affirmation of goodness,” as “people can learn to wake up to the good around them and notice the gifts they have received.” The second part is realizing that this goodness resides outside ourselves – we receive gifts from others, whether a higher power, fate, or the natural world. In other words, “gratitude helps people realize that they wouldn’t be where they are without the help of others.

So what exactly does gratitude do for you?

Gratitude boosts your mental health

Peer-reviewed research shows that gratitude can boost your self-esteem and help you feel more satisfied in life. In one study of 300 adults seeking a university’s counseling services, one randomized group wrote a “gratitude letter” each week. Even twelve weeks after the conclusion of the study, the gratitude group reported significantly better mental health than the control group.

In another study, people identified and wrote down “Three Good Things” each day, both acknowledging three things that had gone well and the cause of those things. Those who employed this practice were significantly happier and less depressed than those who did not, even six months after the study ended. Practicing gratitude has a lasting positive effect.

Why does this work?

Gratitude makes us happier and sustains us through difficult times.

In general, people tend to operate with a negative bias, paying greater attention to negative factors in their lives rather than positive ones. According to the article, “people are more cognitively aware of their ‘headwinds’ (or barriers they face) than ‘tailwinds’ (benefits they receive).” Shifting perspective to notice the good unlocks feelings of happiness, optimism, and positive emotion.

Nancy Davis Kho, author of The Thank-You Project: Cultivating Happiness One Letter of Gratitude at a Time, puts it this way: “Strengthening your positive recall bias makes it easier to see the good things around you even when times are dark.”

Robert Emmons, in his book The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good, notes that “practicing gratitude magnifies positive feelings more than it reduces negative feelings.” Much more than a feel-good philosophy, gaining a broader perspective makes you more resilient in the face of difficulty.

Gratitude benefits your physical health

Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Science Director at the Greater Good Science Center explains that gratitude helps soothe the nervous system and decrease your blood pressure. One study of heart-failure patients showed that those who kept a gratitude journal for eight weeks displayed better heart health than those who did not.

A study from Sonja Lyubomirsky’s Positive Activities and Well-Being (PAW) Laboratory at the University of California, Riverside, showed that high school students who practiced gratitude through weekly letters reported eating in healthier ways than the control group. Other studies have discovered links between gratitude journaling and better-quality sleep.

Practicing gratitude fosters a sense of well-being, boosts your mood, and improves your physical and mental health. To learn more about gratitude’s positive effects and the research behind it, read the full article here.

Pratt, Misty. “The Science of Gratitude.” Mindful.com, 17 Feb 2022, https://www.mindful.org/the-science-of-gratitude/.

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