Grateful people – those who practice gratefulness – have an edge on the not-so-grateful when it comes to health, according to University of California Davis psychology professor Robert Emmons’ research on gratitude. “Grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, regular physical examinations,” Emmons wrote.
He went on to say “Gratitude research suggests that feelings of thankfulness have tremendous positive value in helping people cope with daily problems, especially stress.” It’s no secret that stress can make us sick, particularly when we can’t cope with it. It’s linked to several leading causes of death, including heart disease and cancer, and claims responsibility for up to 90 percent of all doctor visits. As it turns out, gratitude can help us better manage stress.
Grateful people also tend to be more optimistic; a characteristic that researchers say boosts the immune system. “There are some very interesting studies linking optimism to better immune function,” said Lisa Aspinwall, Ph.D, a psychology professor at the University of Utah. Optimism also has a positive health impact on people with compromised health. In one study, patients preparing to undergo surgery had better health outcomes when they maintained attitudes of optimism.
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