Blog

Giving Thanks Is a Tradition that Should Last All Year

Thanksgiving Dinner

 

This is the time of year when we take some time to reflect on all we have to be grateful for. It’s a ritual that, for many, has become rote and something we don’t really pay much attention to. But numerous scientific studies have shown that giving thanks is something we should practice every day.

What would happen if we practiced gratitude more frequently? If we woke up each morning and gave thanks for the opportunity to experience a brand new day? Here are just some of the things that researchers say could happen through the practice of gratitude.

You’ll feel better about life

Dr. Robert Emmons, considered by many to be one of the leading experts on gratitude and a professor of psychology at the University of California–Davis, has conducted numerous studies on how giving thanks affects our health and well-being. His studies have concluded that people who practice gratitude on a regular basis feel better about their lives, are more optimistic about the future, have fewer health problems, and get more sleep.

Your heart will become healthier

The American Psychological Association conducted a study where researchers discovered that heart patients who were more grateful had better moods, higher quality sleep, less fatigue and lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers which can often worsen heart health. “We found that those patients who kept gratitude journals for eight weeks showed reductions in circulating levels of several important inflammatory biomarkers, as well as an increase in heart rate variability while they wrote. Improved heart rate variability is considered a measure of reduced cardiac risk,” said Paul Mills, professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California–San Diego. He concluded that “it seems that a more grateful heart is indeed a more healthy heart.”

You may live longer

Gratitude increases optimism and, according to a Scandinavian study of people age 85 and older, those who felt more optimistic about life lived an average of five years longer than their pessimistic counterparts.

Many people find it difficult to practice gratitude. The day-to-day challenges of life can sometimes be overwhelming and we all have days when it seems like there’s just nothing to be thankful for. Here are some tips to support you in cultivating gratitude into your daily life.

  • Give your attention to those things you want more of

Do you find yourself focusing on the challenges in your life or the joys? Do you pay attention to the good in your life or the problems you face each day? Simply become aware of where you put your attention. This is the first step in deciding to consciously choose what to focus on – and by focusing on the good in your life, you’ll slowly start to become grateful for all there is to be thankful for.

  • Keep a gratitude journal

We all have something to be thankful for. Actually becoming conscious of that and making note of it can produce some positive health effects. In the Paul Mills study mentioned above, researchers discovered that those participants who kept gratitude journals for eight weeks showed reduced cardiac risk. Mills concluded that “gratitude journaling is an easy way to support cardiac health.”

  • Surround yourself with those things that bring you joy

Make a conscious effort to identify those things that make you happy and surround yourself with them. For instance, if you’re grateful for the joy you feel when you’re on vacation, start planning your next one, even if it may be some time before you’re able to go. Planning your next vacation will focus your attention on the joy of traveling and you may experience the same health benefits of actually being on vacation. If the actual thing isn’t available, create a visual cue. This could be a photograph of a loved one or favorite pet, or a memento from a past event.

  • Verbalize your gratitude

Actually saying the words “thank you” can help create gratitude where none existed before. Expressing your gratitude helps you focus on the things for which you’re grateful.

 

Categories: Senior Health