How gratitude rewires our brain to be happier

We all know that being grateful is good for us, but did you know there is strong scientific evidence to suggest that a regular gratitude practice can have a profound and positive impact on our brain?

Our brain has an inbuilt negativity bias. This means we are more sensitive to unpleasant news and events. It also means we don’t pay as much attention to and tend to forget life’s more positive experiences.

This bias most likely evolved from the dawn of history, to keep us out of harm’s way. Our survival depended on our ability to notice and react to danger. However, in these safe and abundant times, this doesn’t always serve us today.

By regularly pausing to express what we are grateful for, it rewires our brain to scan for and notice the good. Researchers suggest that it actually changes our mindset – the more you practice feeling and expressing gratitude, the more easily gratitude will come to you spontaneously in the future.

It feels good while we are practicing it too. Our brain is flooded with the chemical dopamine, which rewards us by giving us a natural high and motivates us to continue to be thankful.

Research on gratitude shows that these neurological effects also open the doors to many other health benefits, including decreased pain levels, better sleep, more energy and reduced stress, anxiety and depression.

The key with a gratitude practice is establishing it as a part of your daily routine, so it becomes effortless. Find something you do every day as a trigger to remind you, for example;

·        Write three things you’re grateful for on the shower wall while your conditioner sets

·        Practice with your loved ones at the dinner table

·        Write in a journal first thing in the morning with your cup of tea

Article as published in Nadia Magazine.

Kristy von Minden, Founder of Mind Bright, is a certified Mindfulness Teacher, Key Note Speaker and Workplace Wellness Facilitator.

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