Once a year we set aside a day as a nation to reflect on all of the reasons we have to be grateful (yes, it’s not just about turkey and stuffing!). Many of us are well aware of the spiritual and mental benefits of cultivating gratitude in our lives, but it turns out that these benefits can even extend to physical health.
Truthfully, it’s not always easy (especially in 2020) to look past our problems and practice gratitude. Sometimes it’s just plain difficult!
So is it worth the extra effort? How do we cultivate the habit of gratitude, even when it’s hard?
Why Is It So Hard to Be Grateful?
It sounds so simple to just be grateful, but it turns out that there are biological reasons this process doesn’t come so easily.
Sure, by all measures, if you are reading this on a phone or laptop, your living conditions are better than those in a large majority of the world. You probably got to eat today, likely even food you chose and enjoyed, and you probably have adequate clothing. Yet it is easy to dwell on the financial problems, or the one negative comment on a blog post (*ahem*), or the one thing we wish we could fix about our bodies.
This makes sense from a biological standpoint but makes gratitude difficult. We are wired to pay attention to things that could be potentially negative or harmful as a survival instinct, but in a world of constant input from the internet and social media, this instinct can backfire.
The Physical Health Benefits of Gratitude
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking “if only I had ___ I’d be happy.” Or “if only I didn’t have to deal with ___ I’d be happy,” but this is a vicious cycle…
Psychologist Shawn Anchor explains in this great TED talk that gratitude and happiness are the first step, not the end result. By choosing to be grateful and happy (whether we feel that way at the time or not), we are literally choosing better physical health.
How does this work? Studies of the brain show that grateful feelings increase our sense of wellbeing and relaxation. Dr. Madiha Saeed, MD, explains:
“Heart-felt” emotions—like gratitude, love, and caring—produce sine wave or coherent waves radiating to every cell of the body, all determined through technology that measures changes in heart-rhythm variation and measurements of coherence. Research shows that with “depleted” emotions—like frustration, anger, anxiety, and insecurity—the heart-rhythm pattern becomes more erratic and the brain recognizes this as stress. This in turn creates a desynchronized state, raising the risk of developing heart disease and increased blood pressure, weakening the immune system, impairing cognitive function, and blocking our ability to think clearly.
Over time, this more relaxed state can lead to improved hormone balance and immune function and even decreased rates of disease.
The American Psychological Association backs this up. They found that higher gratitude scores in subjects related to better mood, better sleep, more positive health-promoting habits, less inflammation, and improved heart health.
Even when a problem does come along, gratitude can still help. It is no secret that stress has a negative impact on health, but research is finding that an “attitude of gratitude” can be a successful antidote to even serious external stressors. In one study, cancer patients who were optimistic about their symptoms and outcomes were less likely to experience thickening arteries than those who were pessimistic.
The best news is, being grateful is absolutely free and always available to us! We just have to make it a habit.
An Attitude of Gratitude: Making It Stick
Thankfully, cultivating a grateful attitude is possible, and it can be one of the easiest (and cheapest) changes to make for better health! As this article suggests, a few simple changes can help make gratitude a habit:
- A Daily List – One thing I do daily is to make a list of a few things that I am especially grateful for that particular day. Whether little things like my garden or the dishwasher to big things like my children and wonderful husband, I’ve found that this does help to keep the focus on the many blessings in my life. When done first thing in the morning, this sets the tone for the day and helps me stay positive and cheerful.
- Gratitude Letters – Once in a while, I try to write letters to friends and family members thanking them for their influence in my life and detailing the reasons I am grateful for them.
- Acts of Kindness – Doing a small, unnoticed good deed each day can help boost the natural tendency to be grateful and look for the good in any situation. This could be volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating to a homeless shelter, or making a meal for someone going through a difficult time.
- Keep a Gratitude Journal – Like an expanded version of the first suggestion, this is a place to regularly collect your thoughts. Review what went well in the day or how others blessed you that day. This would be a great time of year to start a family gratitude habit as well. I’ve heard great things about this journal for kids and hope to do it in our family soon.
- Post Reminders – There are thousands of printables that focus on gratitude. Print some out and put them up around the house, or make your own with the kids! Sometimes we just need the visual reminder to retrain our thoughts and keep us reflecting on the positive.
- Watch this Gratitude Documentary for more ideas!
Counting My Blessings
As Martha Washington said:
I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
So, if you are grateful for anything today, please share it below in the comments! Five things I’m very grateful for today are:
- My family
- My home
- A good night’s sleep
- Access to healthy food
- You! I feel so blessed to get to “meet” all of the wonderful people and be part of this community. I’ve learned so much from all of you and am so encouraged that together we are creating a more positive future for our kids.
This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
What are you are grateful for today? Share below!
-I’m grateful to have GOD in my life.
-I’m grateful for my family
-I’m grateful for our health
-Grateful for our home
-I’m grateful we have food to eat.
I am thankful for a new day, for a comfortable home, for an indoor bathroom and forced air furnace (tells my age).
My husband and I are just getting over COVID. I am so grateful for my simple warm throw that comforts me every day, for caring friends who have brought us food and offers of help.
I am thankful I can go to public worship today. It has been many weeks of being home.
I am thankful for a wonderful family. So, so blessed, but we have our problems too.
Today and always, I am grateful for –
My recovery
My health and being able to move my body
My higher power
Having a safe place to live
The health of my children
My children
Financial serenity
Healthy food that i can afford
My outlook on life is much improved when i can focus on the positive, good things in my life 🙂
I am grateful too God who is first in my life, I am grateful for my wonderful adult sons, I am grateful for my life partner who always has my back, I am grateful for good wholesome food, I am great for fresh clean water, I am grateful for Katie who is an inspiration.
I love this post! It’s something I practice with my kids all the time. We read the book “Thankful Frankie” and list things we are grateful for every night. It’s so beautiful!
Thank you for this wonderful article!
Grateful for the opportunity to spend so much time with my grandghildren. I’m grateful that my children live close enough to visit weekly.
Good Afternoon Katie
I am grateful for your website. It proves I am not the only one and I take comfort in knowing you are out there trying to help us be our better selves. I am grateful I am Canadian and have access to common luxuries most of the world doesn’t. I am grateful that I have the ability to share what little I have with those who need it more than me. I am grateful that I can share my time to help the local charities and community events when they need it. I thank God every day for something, and usually thank him many times a day for all the above and for helping my birds at my bird feeder, the blessing that my 2 cats and 1 dog are in good health too, that my horses have access to organic free range grass and even hearing that sparrow sing a little song just for me. Too many things to mention them all and I am grateful for it all.
Thankful for you Katie! That your health problems put you on this journey…that God blessed you with an inquiring mind and brave soul. And in turn, we the readers, are blessed by your knowledge and love.
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Grateful for Wellness Mama!! I always feel like you are a friend just having a chat on your posts while being super informative. Love them, and thank you for all you do for us!
Wendy
I am grateful for you Wellness Mama. Thank you for all you do! I marvel at all the information, the recipes, all you do for me, all of us, who read your blogs. THANKYOU and I thank the Lord for you, praying He will bless you–knowing He can bless you the best.
Words are weak, I wish I could do more, but for now I want to say thank you for all your time, research, recipes, experience, and energy, all out there free for us. You have blessed my life so much, may you and yours be blessed abundantly, today and always.
Deborah
I am so grateful for my health & mother nature! I am blessed everyday to be surrounded by so many incredible people. & Thank YOU for creating this wonderful resource that inspires health & wellness and encourages people to lead a happy, fulfilling life!
So glad you’re here, Kathleen!