Have you ever heard others talk about gratitude, but you’re not really sure what it is? You’re not alone. In this series ofMichigan State University Extensionarticles, we’re going to explorewhat gratitude is and ideas for including gratefulness in your life, how to write agratitude letter, health benefits of gratitude and thedifferences between gratitude and thankfulness．In this article, we’re going to explore some health benefits of displaying gratitude.

So often we feel those benefits at the holidays, which is when we are most likely to desire opportunities to display our gratitude. However, to feel those health benefits all year long, we must practice gratitude throughout the year. According toTime Health, there areseven health benefits of gratitudethat may surprise you:

1. Gratitude can make you more patient．bob体育登录from Northeastern University has found that people who felt grateful for little, everyday things weremore patient and better able to make sensible decisionscompared to those who didn’t feel very gracious on a day-to-day basis.
2. Gratitude might improve your relationship．According to astudy in theJournal of Theoretical Social Psychology, feeling grateful toward your partner—and vice versa—can improve numerous aspects of your relationship, including feelings of connectedness and overall satisfaction as a couple.
3. Gratitude improves self-care．In astudy published in the journalPersonality and Individual Differences,researchers asked people to rate their levels of gratitude, physical health and psychological health, as well as how likely they were to do wellbeing-boosting behaviors like exercise, healthy eating and going to the doctor. They found positive correlations between gratitude and each of these behaviors, suggesting that giving thanks helps people appreciate and care for their bodies.
4. Gratitude can help you sleep．Research in theJournal of Psychosomaticbob体育登录has found that feeling grateful helps people sleep better and longer.
5. Gratitude may stop you from overeating．说:“感谢补充意志力苏珊Peirce Thompson, a cognitive scientist who specializes in the psychology of eating. The concept is similar to the Northeastern research that found a connection between gratitude and patience: Thompson says cultivating feelings of gratitude can boost your impulse control, helping you slow down and make better decisions.
6. Gratitude and help ease depression．Thompson saysexperiments have shownthat people who partake in the “three good things” exercise—which, as the name suggests, prompts people to think of three good moments or things that happened that day—see considerable improvements in depression and overall happiness, sometimes in as little as a couple weeks.
7. Gratitude gives you happiness that lasts.Lots of things, from a compliment to a sugary treat, can bring little bursts of happiness. Instant gratification also goes away quickly, which leaves you craving more. Gratitude is a frame of mind that if you regularly take time to express gratitude, then you’re more likely to see results.

有很多方法可以练习感恩哟u’ll see the health benefits. Explore “The benefits of practicing gratitude” by Kris Swartzendruber,MSUExtension educator, where you’ll see three examples of actions you can do to improve your mood and increase your overall happiness. Additionally, Karen Pace,MSUExtension educator, writes about “Practicing gratitude has positive impacts on our health and well-being,” where she outlines the mental and physical health benefits of practicing gratitude all year long.

Remember that the key to gratefulness is simple- it’s practice. The more you integrate gratefulness into your life, the easier and more routine it will become. It won’t take long for you to notice a change in yourself and others.

Michigan State University Extensionoffers programs such asStress Less with MindfulnessandRELAX: Alternatives to Angerthat focuses on using your mind to improve stress and chronic conditions. For more information,contact your local MSU Extension office．

Other articles in series

• Gratitude Part 1: What is it and how do I include it in my life
• Gratitude Part 2: Writing a gratitude letter
• Gratitude Part 4: Gratitude versus thankfulness