Here some health benefits of gratitude:
*Good For Teens' Mental Health Grateful teens are happier, according to a study presented at one of the annual meetings of the American Psychological Association.
Researchers also found that teens who are grateful -- defined in this study as having apositive outlook on life -- are more well-behaved at school and more hopeful than their less-grateful peers. They also got better grades, had less envy and more friends due to their optimism.
"More gratitude may be precisely what our society needs to raise a generation that is ready to make a difference in the world," said study researcher Giacomo Bono, Ph.D., a psychology professor at California State University.
*Boosts Well-Being Being constantly mindful of all the things you have to be thankful for can boost your well-being, research suggests.
In a series of experiments detailed in a 2003 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, daily exercise practices and listing off all the things you are thankful for are linked with a brighter outlook on life and a greater sense of positivity.
"There do appear to exist benefits to regularlyfocusing on one's blessings," the researchers wrote in the study. "The advantages are most pronounced when compared with a focus on hassles or complaints, yet are still apparent in comparison with simply reflecting the major events in one’s life, on ways in which one believes one is better off than comparison with others, or with a control group."
*Linked With Better Grades Grateful high-schoolers have higher GPAs -- as well as better social integration and satisfaction with life -- than their non-grateful counterparts, according to a 2010 study in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Researchers also found that grateful teens were less depressed and envious. This could be a factor in why the teens got better grades since they were less distracted and lived healthier lives.
"When combined with previous research, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge about thebenefits of gratitude in adolescents, and thus an important gap in the literature on gratitude and well-being is beginning to be filled," researchers wrote.
*Makes You A Better Friend To Others According to a 2003 study in the the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, gratitude could also boost pro-social behaviors, such as helping other people who have problems or lending emotional support to another person.
This explains why religious services include reflection days and why so many self-help groups such as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) use grateful thinking practices.
*Strengthens Your Relationships Being thankful for the little things your partner does could make your relationship stronger, according to a study in the journal Personal Relationships.
The Telegraph reported on the study, which showed that journaling about the thoughtful things your partner did was linked with a beneficial outcome on the relationship. The researchers found that gratitude for everyday kind gestures helps people become close to others who care about their well-being.
They claim, "Gratitude may help to turn 'ordinary' moments into opportunities for relationship growth, even in the context of already close, communal relations.’'
*Benefits The Heart A 1995 study in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that appreciation and positive emotions are linked with changes in heart rate variability.
[This] may be beneficial in the treatment of hypertension and in reducing the likelihood of sudden death in patients with congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease.
*Is Good For Team Morale Athletes are less likely to burn out and more likely to experience high life satisfaction and team satisfaction when they are grateful, according to a 2008 study in the journal Social Indicators Research of high-schoolers.
Gratitude sharpens the senses, enhancing athletic performance according to Positive Performance Training.
*Linked WIth Better Immune Health Gratefulness is linked with optimism, which in turn is linked with better immune health, WebMD reported.
For example, a University of Utah study showed that stressed-out law students who were optimistic had more white blood cells (which help boost your immune system) than people who were pessimistic, according to WebMD.
*Protects You From Negative Emotions That Come With Extreme Loss WebMD reported that negative events can boost gratitude, and that gratitude can help toincrease feelings of belonging and decrease feelings of stress.
Interestingly, adversity can enhance gratitude, helping people to feel more connected after a terrible event, such as 9/11. A survey showed that feelings of gratitude were at high levels after 9/11, according to WebMD.
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