The Health Benefits of Gratitude
Nov 07, 2023
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
—Zig Ziglar
The holiday season is pretty much here and in a few short weeks many of us will gather to share the Thanksgiving holiday together. Today, we’re diving into the benefits of living a grateful life and how you can build a gratitude practice that stays with you the whole year round.
Key word being "practice". It takes time. It takes effort. Some days you'll nail it and others you won't. I ask you to enter this idea of a practice with an open mind and an open heart... there's literally nothing to lose except some negative energy, baby!
In this corner of the internet, we’re always sharing tips, tricks, and opportunities for YOU to feel your very best, day in and day out. A lot of that comes from living a balanced life, making healthy choices, choosing to move our bodies on a daily basis… the list goes on!
But did you know that cultivating a practice of gratitude could be one of the best things you could do for your health?
Gratitude as a Tool for Stress Relief
According to an article in Psychology Today, gratitude is a powerful tool to combat stress and anxiety. Our body’s first response to stress is to release adrenaline and cortisol. However, when stressful events happen again and again (this is called chronic stress) our cortisol levels can remain heightened, which can lead to unwanted problems like: anxiety, depression, digestive problems, headaches, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, and memory and concentration impairment.
What most people don't know is that, if incorporated, the article states that an unlikely strategy can be used to combat these unwanted health issues: gratitude. Gratitude can help lower cortisol levels in the bodies by about 23 percent, thereby preventing the health problems that stress can lead up to. What an incredible tool with *literally* life-changing benefits!
Nightly Gratitude Practiced Linked to Better Sleep
In a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, researchers have found that the small act of practicing gratitude actually helps people sleep better and longer. Participants in the study were asked to list three things for which they were grateful each night for 21 nights.
The gratitude group, compared to peers who did not complete the gratitude practice, self-reported increased hours of sleep and an improved sense of refreshment upon waking. Sleep is crucial for our health on so many levels – would you try to incorporate this practice into your nightly routine and see if it works?!
Gratitude and Physical Health Benefits
There are so many ways that gratitude can improve our overall health – including improving depression symptoms, sleep, diet and reducing the risk of heart disease, according to a UCLA Health article. Several studies, the article states, show that “a grateful mindset positively affects biomarkers associated with the risk for heart disease.”
Additionally, the article cited a 2021 review of research that found that the simple act of writing down your gratitude practice “can cause a significant drop in diastolic blood pressure — the force your heart exerts between beats.” Even just engaging in a gratitude practice internally or verbally (without writing it down) has a positive impact on your heart health as it “helps your heart by slowing and regulating your breathing to synchronize with your heartbeat.”
Are you feeling inspired and empowered to commit to your gratitude practice as a tool to add to your kit for overall health and wellness?
Can you take the challenge to write down 3 things you are grateful for each night this week to increase your overall health and wellbeing?
How much more powerful our FIERCE Tribe will be when we commit to practicing gratitude each and every day!
Grateful for you today and every day!
Love, Coach D. xo
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