Page 187 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Gratitude 11

said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all
the others.” The positive benefits of practicing gratitude are numerous.
For simplicity’s sake, we have classified benefits into three areas: phys-
ical health, mental health, and social health. Let’s take a brief look at
benefits in each of these categories.

Physical Health
Robert A. Emmons, PhD, author and professor of psychology at Uni-
versity of California, Davis, focuses on gratitude in his work. Based on
results of several studies, Emmons’ research team found that people
of all ages who nourish feelings of gratitude see health benefits in as
little as three weeks. These benefits include: a more robust immune
system; reduced risk of heart disease due to physical changes such as
decreased blood pressure; less stress; and fewer aches and pains in
general (Emmons, 2010).
It also appears that people who feel grateful take better care of them-
selves. For example, they are more likely to exercise regularly and have
healthier diets. These people also sleep more deeply and feel better
rested on waking.

Mental Health
Dr. Emmons and other researchers identify several ways gratitude
improves individuals’ mental health. For example, people who show
gratitude experience an increase in their sense of personal happiness
at home and at work while also reporting a decrease in emotions such
as envy, depression, or anxiety (Emmons, 2010). Similar findings were
identified in two studies that focused on expressing gratitude in writ-
ing, for example by journaling or writing a letter. The subjects of one
study were health care practitioners working in high stress environ-
ments while subjects of the second study were people participating in
therapy. Participants in both studies reported decreased mental stress
and increases in their mental health after keeping gratitude diaries or
journals or, in the second study, writing letters of gratitude (American
Psychiatric Association, 2017).

There are additional mental health benefits connected to gratitude.
They include increased optimism, better performance both profes-
sionally and academically, and a greater ability to cope with difficult
circumstances. In fact, a team of researchers led by Dr. Barbara L.
Fredrickson was exploring a hypothesis that positive emotions foster

Pathways to Well-Being: Helping Educators (and Others) Find Balance in a Connected World 187