4 Health Benefits In Showing Gratitude

There is a lot of evidence that practicing gratitude can improve your health.

Gratitude causes synchronized activation in multiple brain regions. It lights up parts of your brain's reward pathways. Gratitude can boost the neurotransmitter serotonin and activate your brain stem to produce dopamine. Dopamine is our brain's pleasure chemical. We all would like more pleasure!

We’ve put together a few physical and emotional benefits of gratitude to help you fuel and focus your Gratitude Intentions this November and all year long.

1. Reduce Depression Symptoms:

One study on gratitude showed that participants experienced a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms for several weeks. Those practicing gratitude journaling reported a similar reduction in depressive symptoms for as long as the journaling continued.

2. Improved Sleep:

The hype about sleep is real! It is common for new patients to share during their intake exams that they have problems sleeping. Sometimes it is an overactive mind, worrying or thinking that keeps them up at night, or they fall asleep but can’t stay asleep. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone! If you’re having trouble sleeping or just waking up feeling fatigued, try a quick gratitude journaling exercise before bed. This simple act could be the difference between feeling worn out and having an awesome start to your day!

3. Improves Overall Physical Health:

The more grateful a person is the more likely they are to enjoy better physical health. People that focus on what they are grateful for are more likely to include physical activity and exercise in their daily routines.

4. Improves Overall Mental Health:

Studies have shown that gratitude practices help with your overall mental health.

a. Expressing gratitude can positively change your brain by increasing dopamine.

b. Expressing gratitude can improve your overall mood. We tend to experience more of what we focus on.

c. Showing gratitude can make you more optimistic. Optimism leads to different life choices.

d. Showing gratitude allows you to improve your social bonds with people.

e. Expressing gratitude leads people to making better choices, for yourself AND your loved ones

We all have the ability to cultivate gratitude in any moment. Take the incentive this month ~ make it your practice and see what happens! Look for the subtle and perhaps not-so-subtle positive impacts of your practice. We like to call it “The Attitude of Gratitude”.

How will you practice gratitude this month and all year long?

One easy way is to take a look at our Sojourn Community’s Gratitude Wall in the front office.

Enjoy it and add your voice! And perhaps most importantly, repeat!!!

Here’s Dr. Joie’s,

“I’m grateful for the sun and moon, family, community, energy and growth!! “

Another is to ask yourself, ask your children, your friends and family a question as simple as,

“What is the best thing that happened today?”

“So far today has been amazing because it began with a perfect cup of coffee in a warm safe home with morning sun coming in the window. The dog was snoring and it all felt so good!” ~Dr. K