Gratitude

‘Tis the season to be thankful. Though it may be seen as an uplifting tradition, the simple practice of gratitude can have a more significant impact than one might think.

According to various studies, taking a moment to practice gratitude — the act of being thankful — can influence aspects of your mental health¹ and, surprisingly, your physical health. Gratitude, appreciation and optimism have been found to help:

• Boost your mood²
• Manage stress, anxiety and depression³⁴
• Improve sleep quality⁵
• Increase immune function⁶
• Reduce cardiovascular health risks⁷

With all these benefits, gratitude does not need to be restricted to one day a year. Instead, it is something worth implementing into your everyday health routine. Some easy forms of gratitude include:

• Journaling: Start by writing down one thing you are grateful for before bed.
• Sharing with others: Let others know when you are grateful for something they bring to the moment.
• Mental practice: Try taking a minute of gratitude — this can be a moment of quiet when you meditate, fall asleep, eat lunch, or even start a meeting.

If you’re looking for more ways to take care of your health, get an easy at-home health checkup with imaware’s Men’s and Women’s Health & Wellness tests.

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Resources:

1. Frontiers in Psychology. A Potential Role for mu-Opioids in Mediating the Positive Effects of Gratitude. Accessed November 7, 2022. 
2. Frontiers in Psychology. Gratitude as Mood Mediates the Effects of a 6-Weeks Gratitude Intervention on Mental Well-Being: Post hoc Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Accessed November 7, 2022.
3. American Psychological Association. The role of gratitude in the development of social support, stress, and depression: Two longitudinal studies. Accessed November 7, 2022.
4. Psychotherapy Research. Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Accessed November 7, 2022.
5. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. A systematic review of gratitude interventions: Effects on physical health and health behaviors. Accessed November 7, 2022. 
6. Psychological Science. Optimistic Expectancies and Cell-Mediated Immunity: The Role of Positive Affect. Accessed November 7, 2022. 
7. American Psychological Association. A Grateful Heart is a Healthier Heart. Accessed November 7, 2022.