Feyza Basoglu, MD, is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. She serves in the Inpatient Adolescent Mental Health Unit on Inova Fairfax Medical Campus for Inova Behavioral Health Services.
Mental health care is in higher demand than ever. By some reports, nine out of 10 people in the United States believe the nation is in a mental health crisis. One-third of the country’s adults share that they feel anxious often or always.
An immense body of research shows that practicing gratitude profoundly impacts our mental well-being. Unlike many of the self-care interventions people invest in, a gratitude practice is entirely free. It’s a strategy you can adopt regardless of location, budget, or time.
Health Benefits of Gratitude
Gratitude tends to have ripple effects on your mental, physical, social and emotional health. Research has shown that an attitude of gratefulness can lead to:
- Improved mental well-being
- Significantly reduced depression
- Up to a 9% reduction in all-cause mortality
Expressing gratitude activates oxytocin and increases the production of dopamine and serotonin. These “happy chemicals” help calm the stress response and bring a cascade of benefits, including:
- Boosted immune system
- Improved digestion
- Lower risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and thyroid problems
- More peaceful sleep cycles
- Reduced inflammation
Gratitude can also improve your social connections and relationships. In one study, a gratitude practice correlated with lower rates of loneliness and higher rates of social well-being.
Types of Gratitude Practices
Experts define gratitude as an experience with two parts:
1. Affirm the goodness in your life
2. Recognize where that goodness comes from
Many people live busy lives in which it’s easy to take small blessings for granted. A gratitude practice is an opportunity to pause and recognize goodness.
How to Start a Gratitude Practice
Choose a gratitude practice that resonates with you and decide how often you want to participate in it. It may also help to identify a physical location for your practice. For example, you may choose a chair in your bedroom, a corner in your backyard, or a bench in your neighborhood park. Find a peaceful escape where you can connect with your gratitude practice, even if it’s only once a week.
When you begin a gratitude habit, you’ll likely need to remind yourself to practice it. You may:
- Hang art that highlights the importance of gratitude
- Post a note on your coffee maker, car dashboard or other place you’ll see it daily
- Set a daily calendar appointment
Being patient with yourself is key when incorporating any new habit. Although you may aim for a daily gratitude practice, recognize that it won’t always be possible. Release yourself from perfectionism, which researchers have shown is a direct barrier to a spirit of gratitude.
Here are some specific practices that can help you cultivate this experience.
Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal is one of the most classic examples of a gratitude practice. With this approach, you spend a few moments each day recording what you’re grateful for.
Making journaling a habit is key to success. Aim to incorporate the practice into a specific time of day. For example, you may journal for two minutes each morning to start your day with a positive tone. Or, you may journal before bed as a reflective tool.
Gratitude Jar
A gratitude jar is another common example of a gratitude practice. To start a gratitude jar:
1. Place a small container in a location you frequent often, such as your kitchen counter, bedside table or work desk.
2. Cut strips of paper and leave them next to the container.
3. Every time you notice you feel grateful, jot down what you’re grateful for. Place the paper inside the container.
4. Each month, empty the jar and read all the papers to reflect on moments of gratitude.
This practice is an excellent one to implement with your family or partner. The monthly reflections help you connect and strengthen your bonds.
Experience of Awe
Researchers note that reflecting on feelings of awe can help you practice more gratitude. Awe is an emotional response of wonder, awareness and reverence.
Consider when you’ve experienced awe. Maybe you reflect on a stunning beach sunset or the day your child spoke their first words. Take a few moments to access these memories and then express gratitude for them.
Expressing Thanks
A gratitude practice can be an inward reflection of thankfulness, or it can be an outward expression. You may express gratitude toward others by:
- Making a phone call
- Visiting them in-person
- Writing a thank-you note
Aim to be specific when thanking others. Name what you’re grateful for and note why you’re grateful or how their actions impacted you. An example script might read, “I’m so grateful that you delivered food to my home when I was sick. It was a huge relief to not worry about preparing dinner while I was recovering. Thank you!”
Giving Back
Volunteering your resources to help others is a profound way to express gratitude for your blessings. You may:
- Donate time or money to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
- Participate in community mentorship programs
- Pick up litter in your neighborhood or local park
- Raise money for charity by running a sponsored race
- Tutor students
- Visit residents in assisted living facilities or nursing homes
A Perspective of Gratitude
Gratitude shouldn’t only be a reaction to positive events in your life. Rather, it should be a way of interacting with the world at large. With regular intention and practice, you’ll find that you filter all of life’s experiences through a perspective of gratefulness.
Learn more about comprehensive care for mental health, substance use conditions and depression screening at Inova.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
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