Practicing Gratitude for Good Health

One of the first things we associate with Thanksgiving and the holiday season is gratitude. Acknowledging gratitude just a few times a year, however, is doing ourselves a disservice!

More and more research is highlighting the vital relationship between the mind and body. Research shows that individuals who practice gratitude regularly experience fewer aches and pains, exercise more frequently, and take better care of their health. These practices also significantly improve psychological health, as gratitude has a tangible link to improved happiness and reduced feelings of depression and anxiety. If that’s not enough, gratitude contributes towards enhanced empathy, reduced aggression, improved sleep, heightened self-esteem, and emotional strength. The best part about a gratitude practice is that all of these benefits have been found - and duplicated - in scientific research.

So why is gratitude so impactful to overall health and wellness? A daily gratitude practice helps us to look for and acknowledge the good in each day. And as the skill of gratitude strengthens over time, the act becomes passive - changing our entire mindset.

Thanks to something called the “negativity bias,” humans are wired to scan for threats. While this enabled us to survive hundreds of years ago, being hyper-aware of conflict in our modern world can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Our brains cannot on their own distinguish between real imminent threats and a limiting belief of negative thought. With practice, however, we can change this negatively inclined mindset.

This isn’t to say that we should ignore the bad. Instead, we can more effectively put “bad” into a healthy perspective and be more emotionally equipped to cope in a positive way. So where should you start when implementing a daily gratitude practice?

Keeping a written record of daily gratitude is a fantastic to spark a new habit. If you enjoy writing, try keeping a journal. If writing isn’t your thing, try using a note-taking app on your phone to make a quick list each day.

To have a maximal impact, we suggest starting your gratitude practice in the morning. Whether it’s right after you wake up, when the kids head off to school, or while your grabbing your first cup of coffee, choose a time that will allow you to sit with your thoughts for just 3-5 minutes. If mornings are unrealistic, bedtime is another great option. Over time, you’ll find that even on the worst of days, acknowledging the good becomes easier and automatic!

Moving forward, you may enjoy daily journaling and choose to keep-up that habit long term. Or, the writing may help to spark a habit that morphs over time! For example, you may prefer just thinking about gratitude during your commute or while walking the dog. Don’t be afraid to experiment. The beauty of a gratitude practice is that it can be whatever works best for you!