The Healing Effects of Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful attitude. We can use it to expand our happiness, create loving relationships, and even improve our health.

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Gratitude makes you likeable. Gratitude makes you nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and improve our marriage.

Gratitude strengthens your emotions. It reduces feelings of envy, makes our memories happier, lets us experience good feelings, and helps us bounce back from stress.

Gratitude lets you sleep. People who are thankful for the day that was get more sleep hours than those people who are anxious and angry. Sleeping 8 hours or more a day makes you healthier.

Gratitude makes you more optimistic. Optimism in turn makes you happier and healthier. Studies show that gratitude can increase lifespan by as much as a few years.

Gratitude keeps the doctor away. Gratitude can’t cure terminal illnesses, but it can strengthen your physiological functioning. Positive emotion improves health. In fact, some recent science shows just that – those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain, go to the doctor less often, have lower blood pressure, and be less likely to develop a mental disorder.

Gratitude helps you relax. Gratitude and other positive emotions are among the strongest relaxants known to man.

Gratitude increase your energy levels. Gratitude and vitality are strongly correlated – the grateful are much more likely to report physical and mental vigor.