The Effects of Gratitude on the Brain
What if there was one simple act that could boost your happiness exponentially? According to current research, being thankful for the good things in your life could do just that for you. Giving thanks allows you to ponder the positive things in your life, and it doesn’t have to be difficult or incredibly time-consuming. It changes the brain in fundamental ways that bolster happiness and can actually improve your resiliency.
Here are several positive effects of gratitude on your brain.
Increased Optimism
If you’ve ever felt like nothing in your life is going according to plan, then you know the terrible effects of pessimism on your outlook. On the other hand, optimism tends to be associated with a greater degree of happiness and positivity. Perhaps this is why some researchers have zeroed in on how gratitude can impact your outlook.
In one research study, psychologists Dr. Robert A. Emmons and Dr. Michael E. McCullough asked their participants to perform a simple exercise. One group wrote a few sentences daily about the things that were going well, while another group wrote about their irritations. A control group was simply asked to write about events that had an impact on them, with no preference for whether those things were positive or negative.
At the end of a 10-week study, those who practiced gratitude displayed a much more optimistic viewpoint. They tended to be more positive about the direction their life was taking, had fewer health concerns, and even had more physical activity than the other two groups.
Elimination of Toxic Feelings
The way your brain processes feelings is complex, but gratitude can make simple changes so that those feelings no longer overwhelm you. For the most part, the limbic system is responsible for your emotional processing. If you struggle to reframe your situation in a positive light, the good news is that you can tap into the limbic system simply by practicing a little bit of gratitude.
Whenever you practice giving thanks, your hippocampus and amygdala activate. These centers of the brain are the hotspot for regulating your emotions, processing your memories, and even allowing the body to function.
How does that impact gratitude?
When you feel grateful, you are likely to feel better sooner and even recover from old emotional wounds sooner. By choosing to focus on the positive aspects of your life, your brain helps you to let go of those feelings that you were having a difficult time processing, thereby lessening the overwhelming feelings of anxiety and depression.
Reduced Stress Levels
Most people, especially in the U.S., would say their stress levels are way too high. From work to social interactions, the stress hormone cortisol is often prevalent in the human body. Too much cortisol has some negative impacts on your health including weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even bone loss. Gratitude is a natural way to remedy those complaints.
In a study by McCraty and Childre, participants who spent time focusing on appreciating or having gratitude for their life had lower levels of cortisol. But that’s not all – they were also more resilient emotionally, and negative life circumstances had less of an impact.
The physical effects of gratitude were also noted. Most participants had improved cardiac health in addition to the mental and emotional benefits found in the brain.
Enhanced Mood
Feeling happy is something that transpires at a chemical level, and it starts with neurotransmitter function in the brain. You’ve probably heard of serotonin and dopamine, known as the “feel good” chemicals that have a positive impact on your mood and motivation. Feeling grateful can improve the level of these chemicals in the brain, resulting in more feel-good feelings.
As you routinely practice giving thanks for things, you strengthen the pathways in the brain. This shapes them in new ways, encouraging you to continue viewing things through a more positive lens. A hit of dopamine through this natural pathway boosts pleasure.
Having more serotonin and dopamine can even have an effect on the body, making you feel less tired and less inclined to take a sick day. In other words, the more time you spend focusing on the positive aspects of your life, the happier and even healthier you will be.
It may even help the body to produce more oxytocin which helps solidify bonds with the people closest to you. Overall, the chemicals that gratitude can trigger are an excellent way to naturally improve your happiness.
Gratitude is a powerful means of improving your happiness and overall wellness. If you have a few minutes to spare while you wait for a meeting to start or are stopped in traffic on your way home, consider making a list of things and people you are grateful for. You just might find that it significantly enhances your mood – and it all starts with your brain!
