Gratitude

• TYPE OF PSYCHOLOGY: Biological bases of human behavior; Consulting; Clinical; Counseling; Developmental; Personality; Psychotherapy

Gratitude is a positive emotion that can flood our bodies with hormones that make us feel good. Gratitude can be scientifically measured, and through practice and use, an attitude of gratitude can help us feel more joy and happiness, lower our blood pressure, and improve our immune system. Further, it can enhance interpersonal relationships as well as intrapersonal insight.

Introduction

Research shows that grateful thoughts flood our bodies with endorphins, which are hormones that make us feel good, and it seems that some people are born with the gift of expressing gratitude. Some learn this from parents, while others glean it from significant influences such as teachers or religious and spiritual sources. Fortunately, it is a quality and state of being that anyone can cultivate. The attainment of gratitude is most often associated with emotional maturity.

Gratitude is a positive emotion, an affirmation of goodness, a virtuous quality, and a gracious way of being. Gratitude requires admiration and a readiness to show appreciation for the giving or returning of a kindness or perceived gift that has enhanced someone's life in a positive and uplifting way. Expressing gratitude helps people feel positive emotions, deal with adversity, improve relationships, and improve health. It is often heard that one should develop “an attitude of gratitude” in order to put his or her life in perspective.

The Biochemistry of Gratitude

Self-evoked, sincere feelings of gratitude and appreciation produce favorable changes in the body's biochemistry. Hormonal balance improves; there is an increase in the production of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone, often called the “anti-aging” hormone) and IgA (immunoglobulin A). These antibodies are also our first line of defense against pathogens. Those same feelings can decrease anxiety and depression, lower blood pressure, and lower heart rate.

Neuroimaging scans suggest that the act of feeling and expressing gratitude activates a combination of areas in the brain that is different from those activated when people engage in empathy or perspective-taking. Research has further demonstrated that true feelings of gratitude, appreciation, and other positive emotions can synchronize the brain and heart rhythms, create a shift throughout the whole body, and create a scientifically measurable mind state called coherence. Sensitive instruments can measure the level of coherence during feelings of gratitude and appreciation. It can also be measured by the heart-rate variability (HRV) recorded during an electrocardiogram (ECG). Measuring coherence can accurately show how the heart, brain, and nervous system interactions are sensitive to changes in emotions. During an ECG, while a person is experiencing true, sincere feelings of gratitude and other positive emotions, the heart rhythm appears as a smooth wavelike pattern on an HRV graph. Incoherence, the opposite of coherence, is created by negative emotions such as frustration and anger. Such emotions disrupt the synchronization of the body's systems, resulting in jagged, chaotic patterns of the heart rhythm on an HRV graph.

Research

Scientists are interested in understanding gratitude and the circumstances in which it either flourishes or diminishes. Some research initiatives are aimed at promoting evidence-based practices of gratitude for use in medical facilities, universities, schools, homes, communities, and workplaces. Other studies are interested in researching the effect of gratitude practices on the well-being of personal and professional relationships.

Since the early 2000s, hundreds of research studies have documented the psychological, physical, and social benefits of gratitude. One of the research-based reasons for practicing gratitude is that it is one of the most reliable methods for increasing happiness and life satisfaction. Another reason is that gratitude reduces depression and anxiety. Often, one can change one's perspective on his or her difficulties when an intervention assists with gratitude. One sage proverb that is often repeated is “I was upset because I had no shoes. And then I met a man who had no feet.” It is not clear who the original speaker was, but the emphasis on gratitude for what one has is discernible and therapeutic.

Overall, studies have concluded that being grateful helps people sleep better. They may also recover more quickly from trauma and become more resilient. Being grateful as a way of being promotes forgiveness and strengthens relationships. Grateful people are more altruistic, compassionate, and connected to their community. Gratitude appears to protect against the negative effects of anger, may encourage reciprocity and equity, and is linked to skills-building and positive decision-making. Acts of gratitude and appreciation may also have a cascading effect, with one person's act of thanks-giving prompting another's.

Gratitude Practices

The mental state of gratitude grows stronger with use and practice. Various exercises and activities used to enhance and sustain feelings of gratitude help people refocus on what they have instead of what they do not have and on what works instead of what does not work. Being grateful for what one does not have, such as not being ill, does not help produce positive feelings and their attendant benefits either, however. Numerous studies have found the following practices as highly effective in cultivating the mental and physical state of gratitude. Some of the practices and exercises are used by the US military to help individuals and families develop resilience after deployment.

Write a gratitude letter – Identify a person to whom you are grateful for his or her presence in your life. The person does not have to be in your life now. Express your gratitude for his or her presence in your life or the actions that person took on your behalf that affected your life. The letter can be mailed or kept as a reminder of your gratitude.

Mentally thank someone – Think of someone who has been nice or kind to you in some way. Imagine thanking that person for all they have done for you. Go to another person you want to thank. Keep finding new people to mentally thank. Some people simply pray for others.

Look for opportunities to be grateful – Notice when things seem to appear in your favor, such as gifts that are not owed you. Examples could include someone letting you into traffic, an unexpected big smile from someone, or someone showing a random act of kindness toward you. Notice the beauty in nature, beautiful music, children's faces, and laughter. Try telling others a simple "Thank you" or "I appreciate it" when these things occur.

Meditate – Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on a word such as "peace" or something for which you are grateful. Many guided exercises in practicing gratitude are available online or through smartphone applications.

If you have children in your life – Make it a practice to discuss gratitude on a daily basis as a tool to teach your children how to choose gratitude no matter what circumstances they face.

Write a heart-felt thank-you note – A great way to nurture your relationship with another person is by writing a thank-you note that expresses your gratitude for the positive and inspiring effect they have on your life. It could be a brief note after spending time with a friend or after having dinner at someone's home.

Pray – Many people use prayer with intention to cultivate gratitude, which means to think carefully about what you want to communicate through prayer.

Keep a gratitude journal – Writing down each day about the things you are grateful for can help you practice generating the mind state of gratitude.

Counting your blessings – Counting your blessings can help you remember and recreate the sensations you felt when good things happened to and for you. You can write them down or share with someone.

Benefits of Practicing Gratitude

Researchers have found that people who practice gratitude consistently report many significant benefits from their practice. They report feeling more joy, optimism, and happiness. They have noticeably higher levels of positive emotions. They act with more compassion and generosity and report feeling less lonely and isolated than before they began practicing gratitude. On a biological level, tests indicate that they have lower blood pressure and stronger immune systems.

Through the sustained practice of feelings of appreciation and gratitude, it becomes easier to feel those feelings because the repeated experiencing of those emotions and the corresponding biochemical effects in the brain, heart, and nervous system reinforce neural pathways in the body and mind for those emotions. Gratitude is then easier to recreate due to the accumulated effect of feeling those emotions repeatedly through practice.

Bibliography

Becker-Phelps, L. (2016, May 24). When gratitude works; and when it doesn't. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/making-change/201605/when-gratitude-works-and-when-it-doesnt

Giving thanks can make you happier. (2021, August 14). Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier

Goulston, M. (2010). Just listen. New York, NY: American Management Association.

Greenberg, M. (2011, November 23). The seven best gratitude quotes. Psychology Today. Retrieved from

Jarrett, C. (2016, January 7). How expressing gratitude might change your brain. NY Mag. Retrieved from http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/01/how-expressing-gratitude-change-your-brain.html

What is gratitude? (2016). Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life. Retrieved from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude/definition