The Benefits of a Gratitude List
Over the past few years, research has shown that creating a gratitude list daily or at least once a week can significantly improve your health. According to UC Berkeley, grateful people may have better sleep, healthier hearts, and fewer aches and pains. You may be asking yourself how? How can writing down what I’m grateful for every day make me happier? Well it’s honestly a simple answer. Writing down what you’re grateful for everyday helps you feel more positive, sometimes you need to stop and think about the things that you may have that others don’t. That doesn’t mean you should take pride in the fact that some people are worse off than you, it just means that you should be happier knowing things could be worse.
Psychology Today wrote an article titled “The Grateful Brain” which discusses multiple researches regarding “gratitude journals” and their effects on both young adults and older adults. All these studies showed that keeping a journal of what you’re grateful for increases determination, optimism, enthusiasm, energy, etc. Who would’ve thought? Gratitude journals even help to increase the Dopamine levels in your brain, working against depression, anxiety, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts. As UC Berkeley stated, more research needs to be conducted before Doctors can prescribe gratitude. Yet, all the current research shows nothing but positives.
So remember, if you’re feeling down, anxious, and just overall like crap, try writing down what you’re grateful for every day, not only will it help you mentally, but done consistently you may see a change in your physical status too.
