There are many mental and physical benefits of practising gratitude that can improve your overall well-being. Regular practice of gratitude has been shown to have measurable positive effects on overall health. Here are a few benefits:
1. Boosts your immune system
Stress lowers the immune system to potential health threats. Practising gratitude helps in improving your overall sense of well-being and lowers stress. This also helps in improving other aspects of your physical health such as reducing risks associated with heart failure.
2. Improves mental health
Consistently practising gratitude can help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression as gratitude is linked to improved mood.
Practising gratitude through activities such as journaling fosters positive emotions and this contributes to improving your mental health.
3. Makes you more optimistic
Practising gratitude can help you think more positively as your mindset is shifted to have more positive thoughts. The more you think about what you are grateful for, the more you find to be grateful for.
4. Improve sleep
If you are having trouble falling asleep or waking up feeling fatigued, gratitude journaling before bed may help you sleep longer and better. It puts you in a better mood before you sleep which could make a difference between feeling groggy and great in the morning.
5. Enhance our positive emotions
Practising gratitude every day helps in keeping negative emotions such as envy at bay. Gratitude not only reduces negative emotions and enhances positive emotions but also makes us more resilient.
