5 health benefits of expressing gratitude or being grateful

Being thankful for what you have and counting your blessings can have a positive impact on you health and general emotional well-being. Here's how.

By: Anuradha Varanasi | | Published: January 27, 2016 2:37 pm

Many of us tend to forget the importance of counting our blessings and being grateful for what we have. However, did you know that simply writing down all the things you are grateful about could go a long way in improving your mental and physical health? It could be anything from your group of friends who have supported you through difficult times or even a few of your prized possessions. If you find it difficult to write down your thoughts and feelings, even expressing gratitude or gratefulness can actually benefit you a lot more than the opposite party. Here’s how:

Psychologists from the University of California conducted a study in 2003 where they examined the effects of showing gratitude for one’s well-being by dividing participants into three groups. One group was asked to journal about negative events or issues they face, the second group was told to write about things they are grateful about and the third group made entries about neutral life events in their journal. They continued with this activity either on a daily or weekly basis. The psychologists found that the gratitude group ranked the highest in terms of general well-being in comparison with the other two groups [1]. The psychologists concluded that focusing on one’s blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits.

2. Increases your satisfaction with life

In another study conducted by psychologists from Hofstra University, 221 early adolescents were assigned to either a gratitude exercise or a hassles control condition. The results indicated that the adolescents from the gratitude group had a much higher life satisfaction and decreased negativity [2]. The psychologists concluded that the most significant finding of the study was that the students in the gratitude group also experienced an increased satisfaction with their school life after a 3-week follow-up.

3. An attitude of gratitude can help fight against fatigue, insomnia and depression

Around 186 heart failure patients participated in a study for a period of 3 months where the association of gratitude with fatigue, sleep quality and depressive symptoms were studied. The study which was published in the journal, Spirituality in Clinical Practice, found that gratitude was related to better mood and sleep, lower fatigue levels, as well as increased self-efficacy [3]. In their paper, the researchers concluded that expressing gratitude helps asymptomatic heart failure patients have better sleep as it could fight against insomnia and also experience a less depressed mood.

4. It can strengthen your relationships

Expressing gratitude towards your partner and telling them how grateful you are for having them in your life can go a long way in enhancing their perception of the relationship’s strength [4]. This does not only apply for romantic relationships. American researchers found that expressing gratitude to a friend or even grateful thoughts about a friend can drastically change your perception of the relationship. So, if you want your friendships to last for many years on end, you know what to do. Here’s how you can teach your child to be more grateful.

5. Gratitude gives your self-esteem a boost

Taiwanese researchers conducted a study in 2015 that included around 814 undergraduate students. The main purpose of the study was to examine relationships between gratitude and self-esteem, depression and suicidal thoughts among these students. The results revealed that merely expressing gratitude had direct effects on individuals’ self-esteem and depression. Due to better self-esteem and reduced symptoms of depression, the researchers concluded that gratitude had an indirect effect on suicidal thoughts. By simply identifying and recognizing all the things you have to be thankful for, helps in building resilience. Here’s how to deal with suicidal thoughts.

References

[1]J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Feb;84(2):377-89. Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Emmons RA(1), McCullough ME.

[2] J Sch Psychol. 2008 Apr;46(2):213-33.Epub 2007 May 4.Counting blessings in early adolescents: an experimental study of gratitude and subjective well-being. Froh JJ(1), Sefick WJ, Emmons RA.

[3] Mills PJ, Redwine L, Wilson K, et al. The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-being in Asymptomatic Heart Failure Patients. Spirituality in clinical practice. 2015;2(1):5-17.

[4] Psychol Sci. 2010 Apr;21(4):574-80. doi: 10.1177/0956797610364003. Epub 2010 Mar 5.Benefits of expressing gratitude: expressing gratitude to a partner changes one’sview of the relationship. Lambert NM(1), Clark MS, Durtschi J, Fincham FD, Graham SM.

[5]Scand J Psychol. 2015 Dec;56(6):700-7. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12252. The relationships among gratitude, self-esteem, depression, and suicidal ideation among undergraduate students. Lin CC(1).

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Published : January 27, 2016 2:37 pm

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