The Benefits Of Gratitude

Giving thanks can go a long way to improve the health of people with asymptomatic heart failure, according to research published in the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice.

Expressing gratitude, which involves noticing and appreciating the positive aspects of life, was linked to better mood, better sleep, less fatigue and less inflammation in a study of 188 adults diagnosed with asymptomatic heart failure. Patients in the eight-week study received regular clinical care for their heart conditions, but part of the group also kept gratitude journals in which they listed three things they were thankful for on most days of the week.

Those who kept the journals showed reductions in circulating levels of several inflammatory biomarkers, along with better mood and sleep.