Is showing gratitude the secret to happiness?

Published on Thu Feb 21 2019 in Community

Saying “thank you” is one of the earliest lessons that parents teach their children. It may be a simple phrase, but it’s also a powerful one. Letting someone know how grateful you are for their help, advice or time can bring a smile to their face! It’s no wonder that this small show of gratitude is such an important part of most cultures.

However, the humble “thank you” might not always carry the weight that it should. How often do you really think about why you’re thanking someone? Over time it becomes an automatic response, and we may not even realise that we’ve said, “thank you” (or not).

But scientists are carefully studying gratitude, specifically how reflecting on the things we’re thankful for might affect our minds and bodies.

How gratitude could boost our wellbeing

If you read wellness blogs and health magazines (or know someone who does), then you might be familiar with the current fascination with gratitude. Giving thanks for life’s blessings—both big and small—is often endorsed as a way to boost happiness and improve your day. But is this based on science or just a way to sell special journals?

While more research is needed, studies are showing that gratitude could have a positive effect on many people’s lives. There’s already some evidence that giving thanks could improve sleep1 and help lower stress.2 One study found that keeping a gratitude journal helped teenagers be less materialistic and more generous.3

Gratitude might even be good for your heart. A 2015 study4 followed patients diagnosed with Stage B heart failure for three months. Doctors found that the patients who felt more grateful for the people, places and things in their lives were generally healthier than those who were rated as feeling less grateful.

The limits of feeling grateful

Being thankful, counting your blessings… certainly there are no downsides to doing these things, right? Surprisingly, popular gratitude exercises may not work for everybody.

People who highly value independence may not be wired to benefit from regular gratitude practices. These people seem to value the emotion less and might not get the same happiness boost as someone who thinks gratitude is very important.5 

And whilst gratitude may help many people feel happier, it might only work up to a certain point. One research team found that counting blessings once a week boosted happiness, but doing this three or more times a week didn’t.6

Showing gratitude in your daily life

If you do decide that a regular gratitude practice is for you, there are many ways to go about it. Common suggestions include:

  • Keeping a journal of the things you’re grateful for. 
  • Writing letters thanking people for their help.
  • A daily prayer to a higher power.
  • Repeating a positive word or phrase, like “thank you.”
  • Being more generous with your time, money or talents.

As you can see, showing gratitude can be as simple as thinking of three things you’re thankful for each night, or as big as regularly volunteering with an organisation you love!

Thank you!

Whether you decide to start a regular gratitude practice or not, we might all benefit from showing our appreciation to others a bit more. Next time someone goes out of their way to help you, give them a big, genuine “Thank you!” Return the favour if you can, or pledge to pay it forward by helping someone else. These small moves could help create a brighter and friendlier world!

 

1. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Gratitude influences sleep through the mechanism of pre-sleep cognitions
2. Journal of Research in Personality, The role of gratitude in the development of social support, stress, and depression: Two longitudinal studies
3. The Journal of Positive Psychology, The impact of gratitude on adolescent materialism and generosity
4. NPR, Gratitude Is Good For The Soul And Helps The Heart, Too
5. NPR, Feeling Less Than Grateful? Some People Are Just Wired That Way
6. University of California, Riverside, What Psychological Science Knows About Achieving Happiness

 

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About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.

 


TAGS: health, wellbeing, happiness,

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