Saying 'thanks' can improve your health – and may even lengthen your life

Gratitude can feel like a buzzword, but it’s a practice that can have a significant impact on our brains, bodies and overall well-being.

In fact, a study published earlier this year in JAMA Psychiatry found that practicing gratitude may even lengthen lives. 

What is gratitude? 

"In its simplest form, gratitude is the act of feeling grateful for what you have – people, events, circumstances or even intangibles such as good health or personal growth," Dr. Chris Mosunic, Calm’s Chief Clinical Officer, told FOX Television Stations.

Calm is a meditation, sleep and relaxation app to help with mental wellness. 

"(Gratitude) is also an act of mindfulness - a moment to take a deep breath, slow your mind down, and actively focus on the good in your life."

Gratitude study findings

The recent gratitude study looked at health data from nearly 50,000 female registered nurses aged 79 and older who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study from 2016-2019. 

Part of the health data they submitted was a psychological 6-item gratitude questionnaire.

Four years later, researchers analyzed medical records to see which nurses had since died, and found that those who scored more favorably on the gratitude questionnaire had a 9% lower hazard of death from any cause than those who scored unfavorably.

"The findings suggest that the experience of grateful affect is associated with increased longevity among older adults," study authors wrote. 

"A 9% reduction in mortality risk is meaningful, but not huge," Tyler VanderWeele, a co-author of the research, told Harvard Health Publishing. "But what's remarkable about gratitude is that just about anyone can practice it. Anyone can recognize what's around them and express thanks to others for what's good in their life."

Ways to practice gratitude

You can practice gratitude in your mind, with a pen and paper or digitally on your phone or tablet. 

Gratitude is said to be like a muscle, meaning the more you use it and practice it, the easier it becomes. 

You could start small by writing down or making a mental note of one thing you’re grateful for each week, and eventually go bigger by reflecting or naming multiple items per day. 

Journals with specific gratitude prompts are available, as well as apps that send notification reminders.