Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Indeed, forgiving someone who has done wrong to you is one of the most difficult tasks to do. However, forgiving someone is also like doing a favour to yourself as makes your life way peaceful and makes you the bigger person. Today, another such act of forgiveness was seen by Jessica Lal's sister Sabrina Lal as she said she has no objection to the release of Manu Sharma from Tihar Jail. Manu Sharma is serving a life term after being convicted of Jessica's murder. She also said that she only wanted his conviction and doesn't hold any more grudges against him. While this is a sign of a really big heart, forgiveness is actually really good for your physical and mental health too. Here are a few health benefits of forgiveness that will surprise you. (Read: World Poetry Day 2018: miraculous mental health benefits of writing poetry)
Reduces stress:
You stop overthinking and start learning to live a life without stress and anger. Once you forgive you remove all feelings of grudges from your heart and makes you feel lighter from within.
Reduces anxiety:
Forgiving someone gives you mental peace and in turn reduces anxiety and the feeling of frustration.
Lowers blood pressure:
With reduced anxiety, your heart rate stabilises which can help lower your blood pressure big time.
Improves your anger-management skills:
Once you forgive you shed a burden on your chest. It induces self-control and helps you manage anger better.
Improves your overall mental health:
Forgiveness makes you happier and improves your psychological well being big time. It makes you more peaceful, calm and compassionate.
Lowers heart rate:
Forgiveness helps you get rid of the rage that you have in your heart, which helps you pacify your body and relax your heart. This stops your heart from racing and maintains your heart rate.
Make these healthy tweaks in your daily life to become happier
Image: Shutterstock
References:
1: Lawler KA, Younger JW, Piferi RL, Jobe RL, Edmondson KA, Jones WH. The unique
effects of forgiveness on health: an exploration of pathways. J Behav Med. 2005
Apr;28(2):157-67. PubMed PMID: 15957571.
Braithwaite, S. R., Selby, E. A., & Fincham, F. D. (2011). Forgiveness and Relationship Satisfaction: Mediating Mechanisms. Journal of Family Psychology : JFP : Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 25(4), 551 559. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024526
Ricciardi, E., Rota, G., Sani, L., Gentili, C., Gaglianese, A., Guazzelli, M., & Pietrini, P. (2013). How the brain heals emotional wounds: the functional neuroanatomy of forgiveness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 839. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00839
1: Toussaint LL, Owen AD, Cheadle A. Forgive to live: forgiveness, health, and
longevity. J Behav Med. 2012 Aug;35(4):375-86. doi: 10.1007/s10865-011-9362-4.
Epub 2011 Jun 25. PubMed PMID: 21706213.
