Benefits of Gratitude--Physical

“Gratitude drives out toxic emotions of resentment, anger and envy and may be associated with better long-term emotional and physical health in transplant recipients.”  Emmons, Robert A., Thanks!  How Practicing Gratitude C an Make You Happier, (Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Co., 2007), 66.

Consider what negative emotions and stress causes to our bodies.  When we feel stressed, our body releases the ‘fight or flight’ chemicals (catecholamines such as epinephrine, dopamine and norepinephrine and the stress hormone, cortisol).  Our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate goes up as our muscles prime for action. This ages-old physical reaction to stress is useful if we need to fight our enemies or outrun a wild tiger chasing after us.  However in modern day society, these chronic stresses and on-going negative emotions can cause the ‘fight or flight’ response to be harmful to us.  Chronic stress and chemical reactions have been shown to depress a person’s immune system.  If you notice you catch colds easier than you did in the past, maybe your immune system is worn down by the stresses of life.  Chronic stress can cause high blood pressure, arthritis flare-ups, acid reflux, insomnia, headaches, chronic back pain and muscle aches.  Researchers are finding that the stress hormone, cortisol, depresses our cellular metabolism and wound healing while it contributes to weight gain.

Numerous studies have shown that gratitude (and the peace that 

comes with it) decreases the negative emotions.  Researchers at the 

University of Connecticut found that recovering heart attack 

patients who “blamed their heart attacks on others were more likely

to suffer yet another heart attack within the next eight years!  On 

the other hand, perceiving benefits and gains from an initial heart 

attack, including becoming more appreciative of life, was related to 

a reduced risk for subsequent attack.”  Emmons, Robert A., Thanks!  How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, (Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Co., 2007), 64.  In fact, researchers recognize 

that happiness can add as much as nine years to one’s life. Emmons, Robert A., Thanks!  How Practicing Gratitude C an Make You Happier, (Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Co., 2007), 13.