By Paula Dranov | Posted November 24 2010
Learning to be Grateful Boosts Health, Happiness
With Thanksgiving approaching, most of us are focusing on the turkey (fried, roasted or both?), the rest of the dinner and all those football games. The original purpose of the holiday, appreciation for a bountiful harvest, has given way to a four-day weekend, the start of Christmas shopping season and feast that would boggle the minds of those 1621 Pilgrims who started the whole thing. These days the harvest occurs at the supermarket and requires little more of us physically than schlepping the bags and stowing the food.
But for the sake of your health, research suggests focusing on the gratitude part. Just having two or three grateful thoughts a day appears to result in a more optimistic state of mind, which in turn is linked to a stronger immune system, which means better health. What’s more, keeping notes on your gratitude from week to week seems to enhance well being and yield more energy, alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and a more positive outlook on life.
Who knew? These findings come from the work of Robert A. Emmons, a professor at the University of California, Davis, and Michael E. McCullough, Ph.D., of the University of Miami, who look upon gratitude as the “forgotten factor” in happiness research. It might be the most overlooked factor in good health, too.
According to Emmons “grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, (and) regular physical examinations.”
In this sluggish economy with so many people out of work, finding things to be grateful for may not be so easy. Sure, our days are full of hassles and most of us wouldn’t mind having more money. But good health, a roof over your head, enough to eat and internet access (you’re reading this, right?), may warrant devoting a few seconds to daily gratitude: there’s no downside to giving thanks, right?
CONNECT THE DOTS
If you want to read more on gratitude research, start with this summary from Dr. Emmons. And this review of positive psychology findings shows how to put gratitude into everyday practice.
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