How Gratitude Shapes Your Brain
Many years ago when I first heard about the power of gratitude, I was highly skeptical. I mean it sounds nice and all that saying “thank-you” can have a big impact on your physical and mental health, and even your sleep, but come on, really?
And yet, it’s true.
So why am I bringing it up now? Well last week one of my favorite Wall Street Journal columnists, Elizabeth Bernstein, called me up to interview me for an article on gratitude. The article just came out this week, and you can read it here (if you have a WSJ subscription). However, since it’s behind a pay wall I figured I’d share a few key points.
Research studies have shown that practicing gratitude can make you feel happier, lower your stress, and even give you a better night’s sleep. But these effects aren’t just spiritual or psychological, they’re rooted in your brain’s biology.
Practicing gratitude modulates key brain circuits that contribute to mood, motivation, resilience, and more. It stimulates the region of your brainstem where dopamine is produced, which has a general motivational effect. It also activates your nucleus accumbens where dopamine gets released for little sparks of joy. And perhaps more importantly it alters the activity in your anterior cingulate cortex to pay more attention to the positive aspects of your reality, helping you get a bigger boost from all the wonderful things in your life that are so easily overlooked.
There are so many ways to practice gratitude. One of the most powerful is to write a thank-you letter to someone who did something nice for you. You don’t even have to send it, and you’ll still benefit. And it’s always helpful to be mindful of the little pleasantries that are still in your life, like a nice hot shower, or even just having food in the fridge.
But in our current situation, perhaps one of the best ways to practice gratitude in is to think about the future. Picture how great it will be to return to normal.
As Bernstein writes “Think of the reunions. Imagine how good it will feel to eat at your favorite restaurant or get back to your favorite hobby. This will help prevent you from taking things for granted in the future.”
And if you want to learn more about the neuroscience of gratitude, I cover that in The Upward Spiral Core Program. Registration opens next week, so if you don’t want to miss out on updates, leave your email below.
But for the time-being, take a moment to savor all those normal things that will at some point be back in your life. Your brain will thank you.
Note: feature image of girl picking flowers by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
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