Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
Many people might associate gratitude with the idea of saying thank you.
But in a deeper emotional sense, it bears more weight.
One study on the subject defines it as, "the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself; it is a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation."
Some people like to approach gratitude as a general mindset or perspective. Seeing life through a lens of thankfulness makes them happy.
Others might have to go out of their way to stop and appreciate the good in life. As it turns out, doing both can greatly impact quality of life.
Here are some ways gratitude can improve your life and how you can practice it.
Better mental health
In the depths of depression, everything seems to have a gloomy film. It's easy to focus on what's wrong and what you lack instead of recognizing what you do have.
One review of studies found " ... people who were more grateful (compared to those who were less grateful) had lower levels of depressive symptoms and feelings."
Though meditating on what you're grateful for won't cure depression, there's hope it might take a little bit of the weight off.
Another study describes the benefits of writing letters expressing gratitude to someone else. In the study, adults seeking university-based therapy services were tasked with either writing about their feelings surrounding their most stressful experiences or writing letters of gratitude to others.
Those who were assigned to write the gratitude letters had "significantly better mental health" after 12 weeks.
So if you're having a bad day, week, or month, take some time out of your day to write a letter to someone thanking them for — anything! If they smiled at you in the hallway at church, write a note.
If they let you vent about a rough situation at work, write them a thank you letter.
Less inflammation
Inflammation serves a purpose in the body: to fight off germs and promote healing. When you're not sick or injured, inflammation can cause health problems, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Though more research is needed, there is some evidence that practicing gratitude may reduce inflammation in the blood. A 2016 study found that those who participated in an 8-week gratitude journaling practice had "significantly" lower concentrations of inflammation biomarkers in their blood.
So if you're trying to stay or get physically healthy, consider adding a gratitude journal routine to your day.
Living a longer life
If you want to live longer, flex your gratitude muscle!
Harvard Health shares a summary of recent research suggesting gratitude can help you live longer. In the study, nearly 50,000 women with an average age of 79 completed a gratitude questionnaire. Four years later, nearly 5,000 of those participants had died.
After accounting for other factors, researchers determined those who scored higher on the gratitude survey had a lower risk of dying in those four years than those who ranked in the lowest third of the survey.
It appears that simply being willing to acknowledge the good in life may lead to living a longer life.
How to practice gratitude
One of the most researched methods of practicing gratitude involved journaling.
Writing in a gratitude journal doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming. Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center recommends setting aside 15 minutes per day, at least three times a week.
There's no need for a guided gratitude journal — though if you want one, go for it. A lined notebook, your phone's notes app or a Google Doc are all great options. But writing it down is important.
Each day, write about five things you're grateful for. They can be big things, such as "I'm grateful my daughter was accepted into college."
Or you can write about small things that stuck with you, such as, "I'm grateful for the woman who held the door open for me at the store."
The idea is to reflect on the good moments of the day and relive the feelings you had when they happened.
It's also going to be impactful if you focus more on the people to whom you are grateful.
How Minky Couture says thank you to NICU teams
As a gesture of gratitude, Minky Couture has pledged to donate $1 million to the brand new NICU at Primary Children's Hospital.
Founder Sandi Sumner Hendry found her love for NICU babies and the people who care for them when her own grandchildren were patients at Primary Children's Hospital. Now, her company donates funds and blankets to support the babies and families in the NICU.
Learn more about how Minky Couture gives back on their website.
