They say that gratitude is the key to happiness, and we find that many times the most successful athletes are also some of the most grateful people we meet – and we don’t think this is a coincidence. In fact, we have found the being grateful helps in every aspect of life and helps you become more successful.
Below are 5 ways that gratefulness helps to improve your health and your overall life altogether:
1. Gratitude Boosts Your Overall Satisfaction with Life
Kent State University researcher, Steve Toepfer, believes that writing a simple thank you note can increase your life satisfaction level. Toepfer asked his test subjects to simply write at least one letter of gratitude each, to any person they chose.
The more thank you letters they wrote, the less they experienced depression symptoms. And, they expressed having happier feelings and a more overall satisfaction with their lives.
2. Gratitude Helps Strengthen Relationships
Focusing on things your partner does not do that irritates you is really easy to do. Yet, things like doing the laundry and taking out the trash aren’t actually keys to your happiness. According to a Personal Relationships journal 2010 publication, focussing on your partner’s positive gestures can actually make a difference.
This can help you feel much more connected to your partner while feeling even more satisfied with your relationship as a whole. For a simple start, just take a few minutes out of each day to show your partner a little gratitude about one thing you appreciate. This can truly be the glue to strengthen the bond between you two.
3. Gratitude Improves Vitality and Mental Health
In 2007, University of California – Davis researchers released data related to a study on feeling grateful. It showed that gratefulness can be a positive influence on your quality of life and overall well-being.
The researcher divided up two groups of organ recipients. Both groups kept daily journals related to the following:
- Side-effects of medications
- Feelings about overall life
- Degrees of connections to others
- Feelings related to the upcoming day
The Differences in the Two Groups
- The Control Group – Group number one kept routine notes about the subject above.
- The Gratitude Group – Group number two also answered the questions above. Plus, they had to list five people or things they were grateful for in their journals each day.
When the 21-day study was over, the control group felt even worse about their lives than before the study began. However, the gratitude group had improved their wellbeing and mental health scores. The consensus is that feelings of gratitude helped to act as buffers from the physical and mental challenges that came with the medical conditions that led to them needing organ donations.
4. Gratitude Gives You a Better Night’s Sleep
Over 400 subjects went through a study conducted by University of Manchester in England researchers. About 40% of these people suffered from sleep disorders. The results showed that those who felt feelings of gratefulness also had more positive feelings and thoughts overall. This, in turn, allowed these subjects to fall asleep faster. And, they notice an improvement in the overall quality of their sleep. According to this study, spending a few minutes acknowledging people and things you feel grateful for before bed helps you achieve a deep sleep.
5. Gratitude Helps You Commit to Your Exercise Routine
During the University of California – Davis study, researchers found that gratitude helps inspire you to do what you need to do… including commit to your workout routine. Feeling grateful helps to boost both happiness and energy levels. More energy leads to a better workout. Therefore, expressing gratitude is an effective way to improve your daily workout program.
Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070815135030.htm
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/5-ways-gratitude-good-your-health