How gratitude can improve your mental health.
According to a study conducted by Harvard health, the practice of gratitude improves satisfaction with life, increases happiness and optimism, and reduces anxiety and depression. This in turn improves your mood.
When we practice gratitude, our brains react by releasing more positive neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Our brains produce less of the stress hormone cortisol. Many studies have shown that when people practice gratitude they tend to be happier and less depressed. They also exercise more and had fewer doctor visits.
This study by Harvard showed significantly lower risk of major depression generalized anxiety disorder phobia nicotine dependence disorder alcohol dependence and drug abuse. This is all from the simple act of practicing gratitude.
In these studies all participants did was think about three things each day, just three things, that they were grateful for. It doesn’t matter what these three things are. They can be gratitude for people, for food, for scenery, or anything at all you are grateful for. Thinking of just three things a day participants saw a considerable a improvement in as little as only a couple weeks. That is so fast and so easy.
A study conducted at UC Berkeley showed that practicing gratitude along with mental health counseling was actually more beneficial than just counseling alone.
Gratitude being grateful a little journey can help you to get started and give you ideas of all the things you’re grateful for.
Get started today!