Why a gratitude practice really works
With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s the perfect time to talk about gratitude…
Gratitude practices have become quite popular lately in the self-help space, especially in the journaling community. However, it can be easy to misunderstand the practice (especially with growing concern about the harms of toxic positivity), so it’s important to approach it with an understanding of why it works… As it turns out, the science of gratitude is becoming more well-understood, backed by research in neuroscience and psychology.
We’re wired by our evolutionary biology to easily notice the negatives in our lives (the “headwinds” that threaten us and require action). With practice, though, we can train our prefrontal cortex to notice and appreciate positives (the “tailwinds” that breeze us forward).
Why is gratitude important?
While the benefits of a gratitude practice might seem obvious to some, others might need more convincing. When it’s used in a healthy way (for example, not as a substitute for mindful acknowledgement of negative emotions), a gratitude practice can offer powerful individual and social benefits:
It improves our mental wellbeing by activating the areas of the brain that are also associated with feelings of reward, releasing the ‘happy hormones’ dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, and strengthening our brain’s longer-term ability to recognise good things.
It boosts immunity by calming the nervous system, slowing the heart rate, stimulating digestion and the release of ‘good’ hormones that regulate our immune function.
It strengthens social connections by activating brain areas and releasing hormones that are associated with feelings of connection, closeness and reward: in other words, it rewards generosity and encourages a culture of mutual appreciation and connectedness.
It enhances our emotional resilience by training our brains to recognise positive emotions, have them take up more space than negative ones, and build an inner strength to manage stressful situations.
Convinced?
Start by thinking of something that you can be grateful for in your life, and place your focus on it. Then, notice that its source is outside of yourself: it could be another person, or an external factor out of your control. Finally, let the glow of gratitude linger: those are the feel-good hormones flowing.
If you want to experience the long-term benefits of a gratitude practice, it’s important to train your brain by making a habit of it: regularity is important. It’s also important to keep changing up the focus of your gratitude, because the brain gets easily bored: novelty is key.
How?
Try out a simple daily practice of listing three things that you’re grateful for (three new things each day). Reflect on each one and let the brain chemistry do its good work… With time, regular gratitude could have a lasting effect on your overall wellbeing and social connections.
Wishing you a beautiful Thanksgiving!
References:
https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/
https://www.mindful.org/the-science-of-gratitude/
