Gratitude? What exactly is it? It may feel like a simple virtue like a “thank you” said at the right moment. Gratitude encompasses the willingness to expand our attention, so that we perceive more of the goodness we are always receiving. Researchers like Robert Emmons, a psychology professor, are trying to conceptualize gratitude, so that it can be studied scientifically. He defines gratitude as having two parts. The first part of gratitude is “recognizing that one has obtained a positive outcome.” For example, someone may notice that their morning commute went smoothly, which allowed them to arrive feeling calm instead of rushed. The second part is “recognizing that there is an external source for this positive outcome.” A smooth commute might be due to road workers who finished repairs ahead of schedule or public transportation staff who kept everything running on time. In simpler terms, gratitude helps people realize that they would not be where they are without the help of others.
How Psychologists Understand Gratitude
Other psychologists divide gratitude into three parts: trait, mood, and emotion. When gratitude functions as a trait, it refers to a person’s general tendency to notice and appreciate the good in life. Some people naturally pay more attention to acts of kindness or positive events, and this habit influences how they look at the world. People with a strong grateful disposition usually report better overall mental health, stronger relationships, and higher levels of satisfaction with life.
Gratitude can also appear as a mood, which reflects smaller ups and downs in how grateful someone feels on a given day. This kind of gratitude changes with daily experiences. For example, a supportive conversation might lift a person into a more grateful state for the rest of the day. Even though this form of gratitude is short lived, it still influences behavior, often making people more patient, cooperative, and open to others.
The third form is gratitude as an emotion, which happens in direct response to receiving something beneficial. This might occur when someone offers help, gives a thoughtful gift, or shows unexpected kindness. Although the feeling itself is temporary, repeated experiences of emotional gratitude can shape a person’s daily mood.
Psychological Benefits of Gratitude
Well-Being and Positive Emotions
Individuals who have a consistent tendency to feel grateful report higher levels of life satisfaction, more positive emotions, and lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Gratitude also influences how people perceive their experiences. Instead of focusing on negative events, those who practice gratitude are more likely to notice what is going well and recognize the support they have received from others. This perspective helps build emotional resilience by allowing people to reinterpret difficult situations and cope with challenges more effectively.
Social Benefits
Gratitude is essential to form social relationships. Researchers describe three key functions of gratitude: finding, reminding, and binding. The first function, finding, helps people notice others who could become important in their social circle. The second, reminding, highlights the value of the relationships they already have. The third, binding, brings people closer together by encouraging appreciation, trust, and stronger connections. These functions are supported by research. One study showed that participants who were thanked for helping a classmate were more willing to interact with that person again in the future. In another study, couples who regularly expressed gratitude to each other experienced greater improvements in both their own well-being and the quality of their relationship.
Mental Health
In a study of about 300 adults seeking counseling at a university, one group was asked to write a gratitude letter once a week for three weeks, while the control group did not complete any gratitude writing. When assessed twelve weeks after the final letter, participants in the gratitude group reported significantly better mental health compared with the control group. Another common gratitude practice, known as the “Three Good Things” exercise, which involves writing three positive events from the day and reflecting on what caused them. Research on this exercise found that individuals who practiced it experienced greater happiness and lower levels of depression, with benefits lasting up to six months after the study concluded.
Physiological Benefits of Gratitude
Sleep
Gratitude has a significant impact on the quality of sleep. People who regularly practice gratitude engage in behaviors that support healthy rest, such as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and keeping a consistent routine. Gratitude also helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, which can interfere with sleep. Thoughts we have before going to bed influence how well we sleep. Focusing on positive experiences, meaningful relationships, and supportive social connections promotes calmness and makes it easier to fall asleep. Research highlighted in the Science of Gratitude white paper article shows that individuals with higher levels of gratitude report better sleep quality and fewer worries before bedtime. By directing attention toward positive aspects of life, gratitude quiets rumination and helps the nervous system relax. Over time, this contributes to better sleep and increased energy throughout the day.
Stress Reduction
Gratitude also affects the body by reducing physiological responses to stress. When a person experiences stress, the nervous system triggers the fight or flight response, increasing heart rate, tightening muscles, and releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline. Practicing gratitude activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and digestion. This calming response lowers heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and slows breathing, which allows the body to return to a state of balance. Regularly engaging in gratitude practices strengthens this response, which reduces the long term impact of chronic stress.
Heart Health
Gratitude supports cardiovascular health in multiple ways. By improving mood, sleep, stress regulation, and lifestyle behaviors, gratitude indirectly reduces risk factors for heart disease. Research shows that people with higher levels of gratitude experience measurable health benefits. A study of individuals with heart failure found that those with higher gratitude reported better sleep and less fatigue (Mills et al., 2015). A study of patients recovering from a heart attack found that those who expressed higher gratitude two weeks after the event experienced greater improvements in their emotional well-being six months later (Millstein et al., 2016). Furthermore, a 2021 review reported that keeping a gratitude journal resulted in a reduction in diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats. Even short periods of grateful reflection can help slow and regulate breathing in rhythm with the heartbeat.
Tips to Practice Gratitude
- Write it down: Record something positive each day.
- Pause and reflect: Notice exactly what you are thankful for.
- Shift your focus: Turn negative thoughts into something positive.
- Share your gratitude: Tell others why you appreciate them.
References:
https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Gratitude-FINAL.pdf
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude
https://www.mindful.org/the-science-of-gratitude/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gratitude-enhances-health-brings-happiness-and-may-even-lengthen-lives-202409113071
