What is this new vitamin? It’s Vitamin “G”, for gratitude. In an article from Mayo Clinic Health system December 2020, it says, “Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood and immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease. If a pill that could do this, everyone would be taking it.”

So, how is the practice of gratitude and your health linked?

Gratitude impacts many components of the Well-Being Wheel, but is it more than just a fuzzy feeling? Does it really have health benefits?

Whether or not your personal goals align with greater mental, physical, or social, or spiritual well-being, research has shown that gratitude supports growing and thriving in each of these areas. In an article from the National Institutes of Health, Randy A. Sansone, MD and Lori A. Sansone, MD stated “Experiencing gratitude, thankfulness, and appreciation tends to foster positive feelings, which in turn, contribute to one’s overall sense of well-being.  Gratitude is one of the components, that contributes to our well-being.”  Yes, these are just people with an MD saying that they are linked, just like eggs are good, no eggs are bad for your health.

But what about all the other research out there?  There’s so much, including the Duke Studies. Here’s one I will focus on with empirical evidence that focuses on the link between a practice of gratitude and improved health and well-being. (Emmons RA. Gratitude, subjective well-being, and the brain. In: Eid M, Larsen RJ, editors. The Science of Subjective Well-Being. New York: Guilford Press; 2008. pp. 469–489.)

Participants in their study were divided into three groups (i.e., one group was asked to journal about negative events or hassles, a second group about the things for which they were grateful, and a third group about neutral life events) and were required to journal either daily or weekly. Across the various study conditions, the gratitude subsample consistently evidenced higher well-being in comparison with the other two study groups.  Several others have done research like this, (Dickerhoof, Froh et al, Wood, Chen and Kee, and Tseng from the article Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2010 Nov; 7(11): 18–22. Published online 2010 Nov.) All these researchers found an association between gratitude and well-being. 

Here are some of the research findings on gratitude and how it links to well-being. When you read this, think about areas of your own well-being that you would like to work on. Then start a practice of gratitude daily. Experiment and experience it for your health!

How does gratitude affect your Mental Well-Being?

Positive Orientation: Having the tendency to notice and appreciate positive aspects of life. This counteracts a depressive orientation toward seeing events and the world through a negative lens.

Increased Social Support: Gratitude supports mental health by increasing perceived social support, especially during times of transition. This means that when we feel thankful, we're more likely to feel that others in our lives are “in our corner”.

Lower Stress, Anxiety and Depression: Studies have shown that individuals who experience gratitude more frequently show lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Lower Risk of Suicidal Ideation: Studies show that gratitude can act as a buffer to hopelessness and suicidal thoughts.

 How does gratitude affect your Physical Well-Being?

Habit Formation: Gratitude helps build healthier habits, as it opens the door to self-control. In fact, researchers found that young adults who expressed gratitude were more likely to practice healthy eating habits.

Heart Health: Gratitude acts as a coping strategy in stressful situations and can support healthy heart care. For example, researchers found that the reasons people state for their challenging situations can often predict future health. In a study of heart attack patients, those who blamed their circumstances on others were more likely to experience another heart attack within eight years, whereas individuals who noted the benefits and experienced a new appreciation for life were associated with reduced risk for additional attacks.

Sleep: Studies have shown that stronger gratitude dispositions are linked to better sleep quality and duration, and less daytime disruption.

Lower Blood Pressure: Short gratitude interventions were linked to lower blood pressure.

Exercise: One study showed that individuals who were asked to write down "three blessings" spent more time exercising than individuals who did not cultivate gratitude. 

How does gratitude affect your Emotional Well-Being?

More Positive Emotions, Less Stress: Gratitude supports greater positive emotion and affect and is associated with lesser stress and depressive symptoms.

Greater Life Satisfaction: Research has shown that gratitude is linked to higher life satisfaction.

Increased Optimism: Studies show that gratitude is associated with raised optimism, along with more positive and lesser negative emotions. 

Helpful Behaviors Towards Others Strengthened: Gratitude is considered a "self-transcendent" emotion because it recognizes generosity outside of the self. Research shows that these emotions prompt us toward more kind acts in the world, deeper connections with others, and increased supportive behaviors.

How does gratitude affect your Social Well-Being?

Self-Worth and Relationships: Gratitude helps facilitate stronger relationships, which are essential for health and wellbeing. When we receive a gift from another and feel thankful for that gesture, we feel “seen” and valued, which seems to matter more than effort, surprise, or cost.

Maintained and Improved Relationships: Research has shown that gratitude, when expressed, helps maintain and improve social relationships such as friendships or romantic relationships.

Marriage and Romantic Relationships: In marriage relationships, research suggests that gratitude acts as “relationship glue”— when spouses recognize everyday acts of kindness and express gratitude toward their significant other, this helps bind and remind us of those closest in our lives.

Increased Helpful Behavior Towards Others: Studies have linked gratitude with increases of pro-social behavior, such as volunteering, holding doors open for others, donating to charity, or overall empathy and respect.

Increased Care of Others: Expressing gratitude was positively associated with how an individual felt responsible for their partner or friends’ "welfare," meaning the more gratitude expressed, the greater one's concern for others.

How does gratitude affect your Occupational (your purpose and passion, use of skills and talents inside or outside of the home) Well-Being?

Lower Risk for Burnout: Studies have shown that having an "attitude of gratitude" may help lower the risk of burnout. And job-specific gratitude (i.e., how thankful one felt toward co-workers, boss and job) was associated with fewer feelings of burnout.  This applies to someone who works in the corporate world, at home as a stay at home mom, or to anybody that accomplishes work.

Increased Job/Talent Usage Satisfaction: One study suggests that gratitude may encourage people to feel more satisfied with their work.

Greater Helpful Behavior at Work at any location: Several studies have shown positive impacts of gratitude with your work (at home, a hybrid, or in the business setting) especially as it relates to reaching out and helping others and volunteering. This creates a ripple effect in the home between people, in the neighborhood, in the community and in your state. God had it right, love your neighbor as yourself. When we do that and are grateful, it not only helps us but it helps our sphere of influence.

How does gratitude affect your Spiritual Well-Being?

Less Materialism, More Meaning: Grateful individuals are more likely to report themselves as less materialistic and less likely to define success based on possessions. Individuals who expressed high levels of gratitude experienced increased meaning in life, a buffer to suicidal thoughts.

Prayer and Spiritual Practices: One study found that when integrated with gratitude, one’s prayer and spiritual practices can support increases in gratitude.

Deeper Connections to Nature, Others and the Sacred: Research has shown that individuals who felt a sense of gratitude experienced greater awareness of the world around them and connections with a higher being.

How does gratitude affect your Financial Well-Being?

Greater Patience and Self-Control: Researchers found that daily gratitude practices helped individuals remain patient and practice delayed gratification in financial decisions.

You learned that a strong disposition or outlook of gratitude includes four elements in my blog post (July 17th, 2023) intensity, frequency, span, and density. For some of us, it might be easy to feel the emotion of gratitude (intensity) but struggle to come up with multiple things for which to be grateful (span). It is helpful to reflect on one's strengths and weaknesses.  I learned these 4 from my husband’s Wellness provider, Marathon Health. Here they are below:

Intensity: It is easy for you to feel the emotion of gratitude, or do you find this challenging?  How strongly do you feel this emotion on a day-to-day basis?

Frequency: How often do you find yourself grateful each day? Do you experience gratitude multiple times over even the smallest things?  Or is it relatively less frequent?

Span: If you were to write a list of things you were grateful for right now, how long would your list be?  Would you easily come up with things for which you are thankful for across many areas of your life

Density: When you think about specific things or outcomes in your life, would you come up with many people for whom to be grateful? Or would this be a challenge?

Basically, gratitude should be practiced daily — just as you'd take that magic pill if it existed. It improves so much!

It doesn’t take all this research or science unless you are a sceptic.  I say, try it for yourself and see how gratitude (consciously looking for it, acknowledging it by logging it and recognizing how it makes you feel…do your own research! All the side effects are positive!