Thankfulness is as thankfulness does.
Isn’t that how Forrest Gump would say it? As a chiropractor, I’d like to back up Forrest with some thoughts of my own. I want to show how being thankful can increase our health and help our bodies heal, especially when applied properly.
HOW BEING THANKFUL CAN BENEFIT YOUR HEALTH
There have been several studies pointing out the health benefits of living with a thankful state of mind. The research of Dr. Robert Emmons, Professor of Psychology at UC Davis, focuses on the psychology of gratitude and thankfulness in both adults and youth, and how they are related to human flourishing.
In an experimental comparison, he found those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly and reported fewer physical symptoms compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events. He also reported grateful people had more positive moods, a greater sense of feeling connected to others, and even better sleep duration and sleep quality.
HOW DOING THANKFUL IS EVEN BETTER
Could it be that there is something more to gratitude than simply feeling grateful? It starts becoming more real when we say we’re thankful, and even more when we direct our thanks to somebody specific. But isn’t there a way that thankfulness can become something more meaningful than the verbal equivalent of giving someone a high five?
Emmons also observed that participants in the “daily gratitude condition” were more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or having offered emotional support to another.
Let’s take it to the next level and DO thankful kinds of things. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming, start simple. Hold the door for a stranger, slow to let another driver merge in front of you, smile a little more. Serving, loving, giving, and SHOWING our gratitude to others can do so much good for us – and at the same time add something to the lives of those around us.
- For a summary of Dr. Emmon’s findings, click here
- Also, keep us in mind on BLACK FRIDAY if you hurt yourself shopping – we will be seeing patients from 12-4 PM on Friday, November 25th.