Why You Should Have a Gratitude Practice
By Kirsten Petersen, DC
Our brains are designed to problem solve, so they focus on – you guessed it – the problems. When we consciously shift our focus to the positive and express gratitude as an alternative, our brains are more resourced, rather than being exhausted from all the threats. If you’re looking for a way to rewire your brain for improved sleep, mood, and wellbeing, consider gratitude.
The science of gratitude
Your behavior impacts your biology. Along with the food we eat and the exercise we get, our thought patterns and habits, like gratitude, have a profound effect on our physiology.
In particular, gratitude impacts the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system is the part of the brain that is responsible for all emotional experiences. Studies have shown that the hippocampus and amygdala, whose main functions are to regulate emotions, memory, and bodily functioning, become activated with feelings of gratitude.
Research has shown promising results for gratitude in the realm of depression and anxiety:
- 70 studies surveying over 26,000 people found lower levels of depression, a higher overall satisfaction in life, stronger social networks and higher self esteem in people with higher levels of gratitude.
- Anxiety is often tied to worrying about the future, and gratitude keeps your mind on the present, thus being predictive of less anxiety in this study.
- Gratitude helps to reduce stress hormones in the body. According to research presented by UC Davis Health, gratitude is related to 23 percent lower levels of cortisol (the hormone that creates stress in the body).
Additionally, gratitude can lower blood pressure, facilitate more efficient sleep, and improve immune function in the body.
How to bring gratitude into your life
1. Write it down
Keep a gratitude journal in a handy place and write down three things you are grateful for each morning. This will cause your brain to start scanning for more meaning as you move through your day, making you a more optimistic person eventually. An evening practice can work beautifully, too, helping you to reflect on how you spent your time that day and relive experiences that were positive, helping you really take them in and increasing the likelihood you will repeat them.
2. Include the why
This is an interesting twist – including why you are grateful for the thing really increases the health benefit. Creating a narrative around the memory helps you to delve deeper into it, packaging things in a way that your brain will use to search for more of that. For example, instead of just saying “I am grateful for my son giving me a hug”, say “I am grateful for my son giving me a hug becasue I want so desperately for him to feel love in his life”. Alternatively, you could bullet point three details you remember about the expereince. Your brain will connect the dots and create a meaningful memory to be replicated.
3. Keep it novel
Look for new things to appreciate rather than writing down the same things each day.
4. Be grateful in community
Research has shown that benefits are amplified when you are grateful with others. Enlist your kids to join you in saying something they are grateful for before dinner. Write a note to a friend or call a family member to share something you appreciate about them. You’ll feel good about yourself all day knowing you did this! There is real self satisfaction in sharing your gratitude, and it will create a bond with that person.
5. Redirect your thoughts when you are being negative
Referencing your gratitude journal can help.
6. Make it a habit
For lasting results, it should be woven into your life like daily vitamins.