November Thankfulness—Part IV
How’s your health? Did you know that a thankful heart will not only keep you physically healthier, but improve your relationships? #NovemberThankfulness #attitudeofgratitude #Thanksgiving @donnalhsmith @a3writers TWEETABLE
I Googled this topic, and there’s a lot out there on how gratitude improves your health.
Emotional Benefits of Gratitude.
From Harvard Health
“Gratitude helps people refocus on what they have instead of what they lack.”
“With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves.”
“Other studies have looked at how gratitude can improve relationships. For example, a study of couples found that individuals who took time to express gratitude for their partner not only felt more positive toward the other person but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about their relationship.”
And one more.
“Managers who remember to say “thank you” to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder.”
Forbes had some ideas about this, too.
- Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. Not only does saying “thank you” constitute good manners, but showing appreciation can help you win new friends.
- Gratitude improves self-esteem.
- Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression
Physical Benefits of Gratitude
“Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and they report feeling healthier than other people, according to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences.”
“Grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often and are more likely to attend regular check-ups with their doctors, which is likely to contribute to further longevity.”
Grateful people sleep better.
From Today.Com
Robert A. Emmons, professor of psychology at UC Davis says, “[Gratitude] can lower blood pressure, improve immune function and facilitate more efficient sleep.”
People who keep a gratitude journal have a reduced dietary fat intake — as much as 25 percent lower. Stress hormones like cortisol are 23 percent lower in grateful people. And having a daily gratitude practice could actually reduce the effects of aging to the brain
So…how’s your health? Are you a grateful, thankful person? There are a lot of benefits to becoming one. Cultivate gratitude all year round. #NovemberThankfulness #attitudeofgratitude #Thanksgiving #convergence @donnalhsmith @a3writers TWEETABLE
Donna L.H. Smith 