The benefits of gratitude

feeling great
Reasons to be
THANKFUL
Being grateful for the positive
things in life can improve your
mood and lower stress levels.
Here’s how to change your
outlook for a happier you
On a day where the
news is bleak, or a
health condition
is flaring up, it can
be hard to look
for the positives in life. But as
challenging as it can sometimes
feel, making gratitude a regular
habit can have some tangible
effects on mind and body.
“Feeling grateful encourages
our brains to release oxytocin,
the chemical of compassion,
benevolence and love,” says
psychotherapist Dipti Tait.
“A burst of oxytocin now
and again helps us to be kinder
and nicer beings, and many
scientific studies have shown it
can reduce stress and anxiety.”
Remembering the good in
your life can also help you to
relax. “Gratitude helps us stay
calm and open minded and this
engages our parasympathetic
nervous system – the 'rest and
digest’ setting,” says Dipti. “We
can all learn how to activate
our own parasympathetic
nervous system, and once we
get the hang of it, we’ll begin to
notice the health benefits. We
will sleep better, feel calmer
and think more clearly.”
■ Make a gratitude mind
map. “Get a piece of paper
and write the word gratitude
in the middle,” says Dipti.
“Write down other words
that spring to mind around
the word gratitude. Then
you could even go further
and write down examples of
gratitude in your life that are
meaningful to you.”
■ Write thank you letters.
“Each week, write to
someone in your life to
thank them for
something
they may
have done
for you
or to tell
them
what they
mean to
you,” says
Dipti. “When
they get in touch with
you to let you know they have
received it, you’ll get another
feel-good burst of oxytocin as
a gratitude booster.”
Meet the
expert:
• Dipti Tait is a
psychotherapist
at The Cotswold
Practice
CLEAR YOUR MIND
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Dipti suggests giving these methods a go
until you find what works for you: “Once you
find one that suits you, give yourself the
challenge of sticking to it for a certain period
of time, such as every morning when you
wake up, every afternoon with a cup of tea,
or perhaps a bedtime practice before you go off
to sleep. Some people like to make it a group or
couple activity.”
■ A nightly list. "Spending
5-10 minutes writing a
list of ‘what’s been
good today'
before you fall
asleep can be
a very effective
way to introduce positive thoughts and feelings
into your life," says Dipti. "Focusing on what’s
been good helps the brain feel calmer and more
content, and can improve sleep." Remember it
doesn't have to be big things – a lovely cup of
coffee, noticing a new detail on your daily walk, or
even hearing a good joke could all count.
■ Start a gratitude group. "Ask your friends and
family if they would like to participate in a daily
gratitude WhatsApp group chat," says Dipti. "This
involves a daily text to the group, telling everyone
about something that you are grateful for that
day. This is a really lovely way to hear about others’
experiences of gratitude and this positive message
group will soon grow into a lovely community."
‘I believe gratitude
has helped
me live longer’
Carole Railton
(71) from
London, is a
director of
behavioural
shift and a
body language
expert
"I started practising gratitude
five years ago, and found it
very easy. I write things down
every night in a book I keep
by my bed – five a day. At
first it was little things, such
as appreciating what I had
achieved in a day, but later I
acknowledged grander things
about me – who I was, and how I
handled things.
"In the past I had a
partial thyroid operation,
which I believe was due to
stress. My mother died at
50, having had the same
operation, so I do believe
that lowering my stress
levels has kept me alive for
longer.
"I have always been a
lover of life, but perhaps
I am more in the present
moment now. I am
definitely able to cope
better and know that there
is always another way. It's
changed my outlook – I
am extremely grateful for
my life, where sometimes
I would have thought I
was a victim. Even when
something horrid has
happened, I can find good
things in that day."
YOURS EVERY FORTNIGHT
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BY LIZZY DENING . PICS: SHUTTERSTOCK