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Our brains are hardwired to notice the negative. This negativity bias keeps us safe and alive, but it can make us hyper-focus on what’s going wrong and affect our lives more than all the positive things. When we’re grateful, we recognize and appreciate the good things in life. Gratitude is essential for overcoming negativity bias. But that’s not the only thing gratitude does for us. 

While most would agree that life is better if you’re thankful rather than cynical, there is mounting evidence that gratitude isn’t just a “nice way to live” but has several health benefits. 

Gratitude causes the brain to release dopamine and serotonin, essential chemicals that contribute to feelings of happiness, pleasure, and overall well-being. 

Health Benefits of Gratitude

A regular practice of gratitude can positively impact your life in several ways, including bolstering the immune system and strengthening your social connections. Here are more: 

Reduce depression and anxiety: This analysis of several studies confirmed that there is a significant association between gratitude and depression, with lower levels of depression among those with higher levels of appreciation. Since gratitude focuses on the present, it can lessen the anxiety that keeps you lamenting the past and stressing about the future. 

Improve sleep: When people focus on what they’re grateful for before bed, studies show they can get more restorative sleep. If they are more positive in life, they are likely doing things leading to better sleep, such as exercising, limiting alcohol, and eating well. 

Promotes better cognitive function and builds new neural pathways: When you practice gratitude, the hippocampus and amygdala are activated. These areas are essential for regulating your bodily functions and emotions. 

Enhance cardiovascular health: When you’re grateful, your stress levels diminish. As you lower your stress, your heart health, including blood pressure and inflammation, improves. It’s been known to lower the protein hemoglobin A1C, a “biomarker” for increased risk of heart failure. Because gratitude reduces depression and improves sleep, you’re also in a better position to achieve a healthy lifestyle that is critical for healthy hearts. 

Tips to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

If you’re new to practicing gratitude beyond saying “thank you” regularly, it’s not difficult to add more gratitude into your day if you’re intentional about it. You’ll get more benefits from gratitude when you adopt it consistently. Get inspired with some of these simple tactics: 

Gratitude journal: Every morning, before you start your day, jot down five things you’re grateful for. These can be simple things like a good night’s sleep or a warm blanket. Be sure to be specific and to reflect on why that makes you grateful. You can adapt journaling in a way that works for you, including setting the time of day, finding a special notebook that inspires you, and the prompts you use. Here are a few to consider: 

• “Today, I am grateful for. . .”
• “A small moment of joy today was. . .”
• “Something I learned today that I’m grateful for is. . .”

Stay in the moment: Being grateful starts with appreciating what you have in the present moment. Meditation and mindfulness can help you stay present by slowing things down and tapping into your senses.

Grateful for everything: When you are proactively grateful, you seek out the positives even in challenging situations. Here are some areas to focus on: 

• Who did you connect with today? (i.e., the neighbor you passed when you were walking, a call from a friend you hadn’t talked to for awhile, the person ahead of you in the checkout lane, your partner, etc.)
• What did your body do today? (i.e., you woke up, your heart is beating, your lungs are pumping, you lifted weights, etc.)
• How did you spend your time today? (i.e., working, exercise class, cooking, reading, etc.)

Share gratitude: Surround yourself with grateful people and share your gratitude with others. Write and send notes, texts, and phone calls with people in your life that you are grateful for. 

While gratitude is usually the focus for Thanksgiving, there are many benefits to being grateful all year long. We are grateful for you and invite you to schedule your Pilates session by calling or texting us at 303-472-6743. Pilates and functional fitness classes at Taylor Pilates and Fitness will help you move well and feel well, which is another thing to be grateful for.