{"id":111372,"date":"2023-02-22T14:58:52","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T14:58:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/?p=111372"},"modified":"2023-02-22T14:59:38","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T14:59:38","slug":"gratitude-can-promote-happiness-giving-thanks-lowers-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/gratitude-can-promote-happiness-giving-thanks-lowers-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude Can Promote Happiness \u2013 Giving Thanks Lowers Stress"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2022 People who are thankful for what they have are better able to cope with stress, are happier, and better able to reach their goals
\n\u2022 Gratitude is associated with improved health, producing a number of measurable effects on various biological systems
\n\u2022 One way to harness the positive power of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal, where you actively write down what you\u2019re grateful for each day<\/em><\/p>\n

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Besides sharing time with family and friends over food, the primary ingredient of the American Thanksgiving holiday is gratitude. While it\u2019s certainly good to have an annual holiday to remind us to express gratitude, there\u2019s much to be said for the benefits of cultivating the spirit of thankfulness year-round.<\/p>\n

People who are thankful for what they have are better able to cope with stress, have more beneficial emotions, and are better able to reach their goals. Scientists have even noted that gratitude is associated with improved health. As noted by Harvard Health Publishing<\/em>, expressing thanks may be one of the simplest ways to feel better:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe word \u2018gratitude\u2019 is derived from the Latin word \u2018gratia\u2019, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness (depending on the context). In some ways gratitude encompasses all of these meanings. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what a person receives, whether tangible or intangible. <\/em><\/p>\n

With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves \u2014 whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.<\/em><\/p>\n

People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. They can apply it to the past (retrieving good memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings), the present (not taking good fortune for granted as it comes), and the future (maintaining a hopeful and optimistic attitude). <\/em><\/p>\n

Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone\u2019s gratitude, it\u2019s a quality that people can successfully cultivate further<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gratitude \u2014 It Does a Body Good<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Murali Doraiswamy, director of the neurocognitive disorders program at Duke University School of Medicine, once stated: \u201cIf thankfulness were a drug, it would be the world\u2019s best-selling product with a health maintenance indication for every major organ system<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

One way to harness the beneficial power of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal or list, where you actively write down exactly what you\u2019re grateful for each day. In one study, people who kept a gratitude journal reported exercising more and had fewer visits to the doctor compared to those who focused on sources of aggravation.<\/p>\n

As noted in an ABC News<\/em> article, studies have shown that gratitude can produce a number of measurable effects on a number of systems in your body, including:<\/p>\n