The Science of Gratitude
Merriam-Webster defines Gratitude as “the state of being grateful.” Cambridge Dictionary defines Gratitude as “a strong feeling of appreciation” for the help received from something or someone.
Recently there have been scientific studies exploring the mental and physical benefits of gratitude. This research shows that a practice of gratitude can contribute to an individual’s character development and overall well-being. Gratitude is more than just an individual’s emotional response that makes others feel appreciated.
Robert A. Emmons is one of the main researchers in the field of gratitude. He believes gratitude has two main components. First, he says gratitude is something he refers to as “an affirmation of goodness.” This is a way to recognize the “sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves.”
The second quality of gratefulness is it must be given freely. That means with no strings attached or expecting something in return. There will often be humility and compassion along with the act or service.
I love that there are research scientists who have made gratitude to be their psychology careers. These neuroscientists have determined the expression of gratitude involves a part of social emotions that play a very important role in one’s well-being. When experienced in lab tests, various chemicals activated areas of the brain that indicate gratitude is related to moral decisions.
How someone expresses gratitude may be affected by social bonding with others which then will allow one to experience the effects of oxytocin. Mmmmmmmm oxytocin. This delicious hormone is associated with warm, fuzzy feelings and has been shown in some research to lower stress and anxiety.
Your hypothalamus makes oxytocin, then the posterior pituitary gland stores and releases it into your bloodstream. Oxytocin has the power to regulate our emotional responses and positive social behaviors, including trust, empathy, gazing, happy memories, processing of bonding cues, and positive communication. We like oxytocin.
Another study shows the brain produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter, and hormone when subjects experienced gratitude. Dopamine plays a role in many important body functions, including movement, memory, and pleasurable reward and motivation.
This is why we feel so full and satisfied when we are grateful, we are reaping the benefit of both oxytocin and dopamine. Researchers have seen a single thoughtful appreciation lead to an immediate 10% increase in happiness and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms. When it becomes a habit, it can help prevent anxiety and depression.
Lastly, researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found that workers were 50% more efficient when they had managers who actively expressed gratitude.
As these studies show, all of the neural activities in the central nervous system manifest externally as a positive emotional response to gratitude. In return, gratitude draws back benefits that go beyond emotional satisfaction and happiness. This research has linked gratitude with a wide range of benefits, including strengthening your immune system and improving sleep patterns, feeling optimistic and experiencing more joy and pleasure, being more helpful and generous, and feeling less lonely and isolated.
5 Simple Gratitude Practices to Increase your Wellbeing
It is well known the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal. Please be sure to speak your gratitude. Grateful people have a specific way of speaking that uses uplifting words that remind them of gifts, blessings, and abundance. In gratitude, we don’t want to focus on how good we are but rather on the inherently good things that others or life have done on our behalf.
You can use your breath to anchor yourself in the present moment. Because our minds move in the direction of busyness. Bringing attention to feeling the breath and the present moment does wonders. A practice that I like to incorporate is to silently say “thank” on the inhale and “you” on the exhale. This can be done anytime and anywhere.
Noticing the goodness in our lives, even when things are not the way we want them. Start by taking a moment each day to visualize everything good in the present moment. As we do this practice, we start to identify a natural feeling of joy and gratitude. At this point, we accept and admire the many aspects that make life worth living and our role in choosing them.
Find someone new to thank every week. Give yourself the assignment of finding someone new each week, even go big and do this every day, and learn how to express gratitude differently. This could mean creating more conscious non-verbal communication, writing a thoughtful message acknowledging others’ behavior and its positive effects on you, or saying thank you with a nice gift or service gesture.
Create a gratitude Jar. The gratitude jar is a super simple exercise that can have huge effects on your well-being and daily outlook. It only requires a few items: a jar or a box can also work; paper and a pen or pencil for writing your gratitude notes; and gratitude!
I am grateful for you all and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, aka Gratitude Day. I encourage you to make every day an excellent gratitude day.