What would you say if I told you that gratitude can help you sleep better? Strange, right? Lots of studies have shown the countless benefits of gratitude, spanning across your body, mind, and emotions. Gratitude has also been mentioned in religious teachings, like the Quran and the Bible. In this article, we will be going through some very interesting research studies done to test the benefits of gratitude. By the end of it, you will be very eager to start your own gratitude practice.
What Is Gratitude?
Gratitude is acknowledging the value of everything that brings about a good difference in your life. This can include anything from a friend with good humor, leaves turning yellow to your organized home, or even your failures. Really, you can tap into gratitude anytime and anywhere, which makes it even easier to practice.
Benefits of Gratitude
The benefits of gratitude are countless and have been proven over and over by scientific and experimental studies. It is being implemented by everyone across the globe and is even a part of people’s daily routines now. So let’s dig right in.
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Improved Physical Health
A study involving more than 400 adults, with forty percent of them experiencing sleep disorders, discovered that expressing gratitude led to significant enhancements in their quality of sleep. It was also found that grateful people not only feel healthier but are more likely to take part in sports and look after their health. Additionally, the benefits of gratitude were also highlighted by Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy – head of the Division of Biologic Psychology at Duke University – who said, ” If [thankfulness] were a drug, it would be the world’s best-selling product with a health maintenance indication for every major organ system.”
Exercise: Write down 1-3 things you’re grateful for in your journal before you go to sleep every day. Observe any improvements in your quality of sleep over time.
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Overcome Real Trauma
A study done on Vietnam War veterans with a daily gratitude practice experienced lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), further emphasizing the benefits of gratitude. War-related traumas are among the most painful and dreadful experiences to ever go through, and gratitude has also demonstrated its positive impact in such scenarios. Imagine the effect gratitude can have when dealing with your own difficult experiences, whether it’s a breakup, financial difficulties, or the death of a loved one.
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More Positive Life
We’re going to get into Biology for a bit, so hold tight. Practicing gratitude is highly associated with positive thinking and seeing the good in different situations. As you build the habit of positive thinking, certain parts of your brain and neuro pathways in your brain become stronger, making it easy for you to access those parts later on. Let me elaborate, Do you know people in your life who are just negative by nature? Chances are, they’ve been wired that way for a long time, with those ‘negative’ neurons firing away in their brains. This makes negative thinking like a second nature to them. The same process occurs when you practice positive thinking.
Interestingly so, a study showed that positive thinking actually decreases activity in the amygdala, a region of the brain associated with fear and negative emotions. Moreover, when we feel grateful, our brain releases a chemical called dopamine (the feel-good hormone), which makes us want to feel that way again. As a result, we begin to make gratitude a habit. Simple yet effective, right?
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Relieves Stress
A study was conducted on participants where their heart rates were measured before, during, and after practicing gratitude as well as before, during, and after expressing resentment. With the gratitude practice, heart rates were slowed down, which indicates a state of relaxation and serenity. Also, by practicing gratitude, the communication between different parts of the brain that are linked to anxiety becomes more relaxed.
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Better Relationships
When you practice gratitude in your daily life, its impact passes onto your relationships too. A study was conducted on couples to determine how gratitude and feeling valued by their partner can affect their relationship dynamics. After the trial ended, it was found that the couples with an appreciation for one another showed better stability in their relationship. This was determined by greater confidence in their future together, and fewer discussions/ thoughts about breaking up.
Think about it, we usually tend to focus on our partner’s flaws and shortcomings. However incorporating gratitude into the relationship forces us to look at everything they did right and helps us to accept them for who they are, making us thankful for having them in our lives. If you’re having any problems with your partner, try this practice and notice the benefits of gratitude that come along with it.
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Makes You Happier
Yes, gratitude can indeed make you happier. A study showed that those who practiced gratitude reported more satisfaction with their lives as a whole. They started feeling more positive about the future and also felt more connected to other people. As a result, the study concluded that engaging in practices of gratitude led to significant improvements in how individuals perceive their overall well-being.
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Increased Self-Esteem
A 2014 study found that gratitude increased athletes’ self-esteem. Additionally, other research shows that when you’re grateful, you’re less likely to compare yourself to others, which I’m sure is something we have all been guilty of and therefore know how badly it impacts our sense of self-worth. Grateful people also find themselves genuinely happy for other people’s successes, even when those individuals have more money or better jobs. So gratitude not only improves self-love but actually brings people closer together.
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More Patience
Gratitude can also make us feel more patient with everyone around us, including our kids, spouses, or even our jobs. We have already established that gratitude decreases our feelings of anger and resentment. Instead, it forces us to look at the positive aspects of our lives, making us more patient when things go wrong. If your child is driving you crazy, it might be time to reflect on what they have contributed to your life and keep it in mind whenever they annoy you.
Personal Experience
Back in my school years, around 8th grade, my classmates and I had this tradition of writing each other goodbye notes at the end of every school year. I remember one time when I wrote a note to a girl I hardly knew. Despite barely knowing her, I poured my kindness and appreciation into that note. Somehow, I had this strong feeling that she was dealing with insecurities, so I decided to offer words of encouragement. I told her she was beautiful and that she shouldn’t let others’ opinions of her affect her. It felt a bit weird since we weren’t close, but there was something within me forcing me to share those thoughts with her.
I didn’t think much of it but then for years to come, she kept sending me messages telling me how much that note affected her and how grateful she was for what I wrote. She also kept checking up on me to see how I was doing with everything. I could see her becoming happier and more confident. This whole experience taught me about the benefits of gratitude and how a simple gesture of appreciation can truly change someone’s life. It made me feel pretty great about myself too, to be honest.
Exercise: Tell someone how grateful you are to have them in your life and be genuine. Watch how that can transform their whole day and yours too.
Conclusion
Let’s recap, we established the numerous benefits of gratitude, one of which can actually make you happier. I’ve given you quotes from credible individuals and research-based findings on how it can literally change your life. You have also learned about my own experience when giving appreciation to others around me, further proving the effect it has on all kinds of relationships. So, which area in your life do you want to improve by practicing gratitude? Your romantic relationship? Your job? Or your health?
So, how was that? Did some of these benefits shock you? And will you be doing the exercise I mentioned above? Let me know if you do, you would be our own piece of research😉. Share it with your friends if you think it would help them in some area of their life. I’ll always be here cheering you on!