Rewiring the Brain Through Gratitude Practice
By Krissy Stuart, RN, CHC
We are at the beginning of what we often call “the holiday season.” For some, this is a time filled with joy, family, friends, and memories. For others, the holidays can be a particularly difficult time of year.
Amidst the stress, hard memories, or emotional exhaustion that sometimes accompanies this time of year, it’s especially important to lean on resources that support our mental well-being. Research has found that establishing a gratitude practice is a highly effective way to support well-being and increase resiliency. What better time than this week of Thanksgiving to dwell on and implement this practice in our lives?
What exactly is gratitude? Gratitude is the practice of affirming that there are good things in our world, gifts and benefits that we have received. And then, going a step further, it is the practice of recognizing that this source of this goodness is outside of ourselves. This goodness stems from the actions of others and is often beyond our control. Gratitude shifts one’s mindset from what one is lacking to a focus on what we do have and how fortunate we are to have it. On a psychological level, gratitude shifts our brain from ruminations on pain and hardship. It releases us from our focus on what is wrong and quietly readjusts our brain towards positivity.
Neurobiologically, MRI images show that several parts of our brain are activated when we express gratitude. One area of our brain that is activated is the medial prefrontal cortex which is an area of our brain that is associated with the management of emotions and memory. Another area that is activated is the hypothalamus. This enhances production of serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters and regulates the production of stress hormones. The changes in neurotransmitters and hormones, combined with the activation of these neural pathways, help us cognitively restructure negative thoughts so we are better able to manage our circumstances.
We can intentionally activate these circuits in our brain. In fact, the more we activate them, the easier it becomes. This is because of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is our brain’s ability to create new neural pathways over time. This means that gratitude is something our brain can practice and get better at over time. The more we practice it, the less effort it takes to activate those circuits. The neural pathways of negativity are well traveled in our brains, but a practice of gratitude can rewire the brain and hardwire happiness.
There are many studies that show the benefits of gratitude. Research shows that grateful people report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. They tend to be more resilient to stress, get along better with others, are less depressed, achieve more, and are more helpful and generous. After a few months of gratitude practice, research participants were noted to have a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, less inflammation, less anxiety and depression, and were sleeping better.
A gratitude practice is an intentional exercise that can be easily integrated into the everyday by simply acknowledging the good that is already present in our lives, and where this goodness is coming from. These practices include such things as:
A gratitude journal—make a habit of writing down things you are grateful for every night.
A letter of gratitude— write an intentional letter to someone who has made an impact on you in the past.
Three good things— for the next week or so, write down three things that went well for you each day, and explain why they went well.
Gratitude meditation— listen to and follow along with a 10 minute guided gratitude meditation: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/gratitude_meditation/.
It is important to acknowledge that a practice of gratitude does not take away the hard things that are happening. We all have difficult things in our lives and experience challenges in the world. A gratitude practice does not gloss over those realities. Instead, it is a tool for creating well-being and resilience in your life and in the lives of those around you. I hope you will take some time this season to find space for a gratitude practice in your everyday.
To find the practice that best suits you, and to read all of the science behind the effects of a gratitude practice, visit Greater Good Science Center’s website: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude.