Life can feel pretty overwhelming sometimes, right? Between work, responsibilities, and everything else, it’s easy to get caught up in stress and anxiety. But what if there was something simple, something free, that you could do every day to help you feel better, more balanced, and more at peace? That something is gratitude.
Gratitude isn’t just about saying "thank you" when someone does something nice for you—though that’s certainly part of it! It’s a mindset, a way of looking at the world that can have huge benefits for your mental health. In fact, practicing gratitude can actually help reduce stress, improve your mood, and make you feel more connected to others.
It's also about the way we can be grateful to ourselves! And to the things/people/situations that we have. It's not only about the good- but it's also about sometimes acknowledging that although the bad happened, we can be grateful for the lessons or the growth. In this post, I’ll explain how gratitude can boost your mental health and share some easy ways to incorporate it into your daily routine.
What Science Says About Gratitude and Mental Health
You might think of gratitude as just a “nice” thing to do, but research shows that it has real, science-backed benefits for your brain and emotions. Here’s how:
1. It Lights Up the Happiness Centers in Your Brain: When you focus on things you’re grateful for, your brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These are the same chemicals that help you feel happy and relaxed. So, by practicing gratitude, you’re literally making your brain happier. I know this can sound like a hard thing to do, but we are going to break it down a bit more to help our brains be happier in an easier way!
2. It Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Gratitude is also a great stress-buster. Studies have found that when people regularly practice gratitude, their cortisol levels (the stress hormone) drop. Instead of fixating on what’s stressing you out, gratitude helps shift your focus to what’s good in your life, making it easier to handle pressure. Think about it this way- if we are only focused on the bad, of course we are going to feel MORE stressed. So practicing gratitude can be a good break from the focus on the bad. It doesn't mean that the bad does not exist!
3. It Builds Emotional Resilience: Life isn’t always smooth sailing, and we all face difficult times. But gratitude helps you reframe tough situations. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by challenges, you start seeing them as opportunities for growth. This shift in perspective makes you more resilient and better able to bounce back when things don’t go as planned.
4. It Helps You Sleep Better: We’ve all had nights where our minds are racing and sleep feels impossible. But practicing gratitude before bed can actually help you sleep better. When you focus on positive thoughts, it calms your mind and reduces the mental chatter that can keep you awake.
5. It Strengthens Relationships: Gratitude isn’t just something that benefits you—it also helps strengthen your relationships. When you express thanks to others, it creates positive feelings and fosters a deeper sense of connection. Feeling connected to others is key to good mental health, and gratitude plays a huge role in making that happen. One the things that I try to do with my husband and people around me, is to thank them for simple things (or not so simple things!) . I try to lead with a "thank you for..." For example, it may be something like "thank you for picking up the boys today." Was it his day? Possibly. But that doesn't matter- what matters is that he took the time out of his day to pick up our boys, which means that it was time that I could use to focus on something else.
With these in mind, let's jump into this week's Therapist Mama Bear Tip!
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