The Science of Gratitude: How Thankfulness Supports Mental Health and Well-Being
This is the extended version of our gratitude blog post. If you’re looking for a shorter, practical read with simple ideas to try at home, you can find it here🌟
What Is Gratitude?
Gratitude is the act of being thankful for or acknowledging the good things in your life. Being grateful means taking time to reflect and focus on the affirmation of goodness. Gratitude can involve recognizing others’ kindness, appreciating nature, or noticing personal growth.
Researchers now view gratitude as both a state (a temporary feeling) and a trait (a more stable tendency to be grateful) (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). For decades, psychologists have studied it as a pathway to well-being. In recent years, advances in neuroscience and health research have provided strong evidence that gratitude benefits both mind and body (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Cregg & Cheavens, 2023).
Practicing Gratitude and Mental Health:
The Body & Mind Benefits
Recent large-scale reviews confirm that gratitude interventions, such as journaling, reliably improve mental health - both as a way to cope with challenges and to protect mental health over time.
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Coping with emotional distress
Gratitude practices reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while enhancing positive emotions and life satisfaction (Cregg & Cheavens, 2023). -
Managing stress and times of crisis
In times of stress, gratitude can serve as a protective factor, reducing the experience of stress and acting as a buffer (Fekete & Galambos, 2022). -
Building resilience
These findings echo decades of research showing that gratitude consistently predicts emotional resilience, allowing people to recover more quickly from setbacks.
Gratitude and Physical Health: How the Body Benefits
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Supporting heart health and longevity
Studies show gratitude is linked to healthier hearts and longer life. In a recent study of older women, those with higher gratitude scores had a 9% lower risk of mortality over four years, even after accounting for lifestyle and psychological factors (Kye et al., 2024; Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 2025). Gratitude is also associated with lower blood pressure and reduced markers of inflammation, supporting cardiovascular health (McCraty & Childre, 2004). -
Improving sleep
Gratitude practices improve sleep quality, helping people fall asleep faster and enjoy more restorative rest (Jackowska, Brown, Ronaldson, & Steptoe, 2016; Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2015). -
Engaging the brain and calming stress responses
Neuroscience studies show gratitude activates brain regions involved in reward, empathy, and emotional regulation (Kini et al., 2016; Nook et al., 2021). Gratitude also reduces activity in the amygdala, the brain’s stress center, while boosting parasympathetic nervous system activity, promoting calm and relaxation (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). This effect helps explain gratitude’s protective effect during stressful times.
Gratitude and Relationships: Strengthening Human Connection
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Strengthening relationships
Expressing gratitude encourages trust, cooperation, and kindness. Couples, friends, and family members who regularly share appreciation report higher relationship satisfaction and feel more connected (Algoe, Kurtz, & Hilaire, 2019). -
Fostering empathy and prosocial behavior
Gratitude makes people more likely to help and support others. Even small acts of appreciation increase prosocial behaviors and reinforce positive interactions within families and communities (Froh, Bono, & Emmons, 2019). Meaning, more positive interactions and appreciation that help to deepen the relationships of the family. -
Sharing gratitude as a family
Through conversation, journaling, or group activities, gratitude improves emotional attunement and communication. Children learn to recognize others’ contributions and develop empathy, while parents can guide them to focus on positive aspects of daily life (Froh, Bono, & Emmons, 2019).
Gratitude and Children: Emotional, Social & Academic Growth
Beyond family connection, research has identified additional benefits for children’s well-being. Practicing gratitude helps kids regulate emotions, build stronger relationships, and engage more positively in school.
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Enhancing emotional regulation
A Harvard study found that gratitude interventions help children manage emotions and respond to challenges with greater resilience. This is especially important in school, where emotional control supports learning and social interactions (Hussong, 2023). -
Strengthening social connections
Gratitude fosters a sense of belonging and improves relationships with peers and adults. Children who focus on the positive aspects of interactions develop stronger, more supportive social networks (Hussong, 2023). -
Supporting academic engagement
Gratitude practices increase motivation and engagement in learning. Children who regularly express gratitude approach school more positively, leading to better focus, participation, and academic performance (Hussong, 2023).
Gratitude and Journaling: Why It Works
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Brain Chemistry
Gratitude causes the brain to release neurotransmitters that are associated with pleasure, contentment, and general well-being, including serotonin and dopamine. It's because of these chemical changes that it “feels good” to notice and appreciate good things (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). -
Neuroplasticity
Regular gratitude practice can reshape the brain. By repeatedly focusing on positive experiences, gratitude activates areas involved in critical thinking, emotional regulation, and reward processing. Over time, these neural pathways are getting stronger, making the brain more sensitive to positive events and experiences. Habitual practice helps embed these patterns (Kini et al., 2016; Nook et al., 2021).
This means we can actually change our brain’s pathways to help our well-being!
Incorporating gratitude into daily routines through journaling, family discussions, or creative activities can strengthen these benefits, enhance connections, and help children thrive.
Kineret
Mom, Psychologist & Founder of Precious Time
Turning everyday moments into meaningful memories.
Explore our activities designed for gratitude, connection, and well-being
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References
Algoe, S. B., Kurtz, L. E., & Hilaire, N. (2019). The social functions of gratitude in romantic relationships. Emotion, 19(6), 1023–1035. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000505
Cregg, M., & Cheavens, J. (2023). The effects of gratitude interventions on mental health: A meta-analysis. Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(2), 150–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2121212
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377
Fekete, E., & Galambos, A. (2022). Gratitude as a protective factor under stress: Evidence from longitudinal studies. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(3), 1085–1102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00440-7
Froh, J. J., Bono, G., & Emmons, R. A. (2019). Expressing gratitude and prosocial behavior in families. In A. L. Waters & R. L. Parke (Eds.), Family Well-Being and Positive Parenting (pp. 105–123). Springer.
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (2025). Experiencing gratitude associated with greater longevity among older adults. Harvard School of Public Health News. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/
Hussong, A. (2023). Raising grateful children: How gratitude benefits kids’ social and emotional development. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/edcast/23/11/how-raise-grateful-children
Jackowska, M., Brown, J., Ronaldson, A., & Steptoe, A. (2016). The impact of gratitude on sleep quality: A daily diary study. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 8(2), 182–199. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12061
Kini, P., Wong, J., McInnis, S., Gabana, N., & Brown, J. W. (2016). The effects of gratitude expression on neural activity. NeuroImage, 128, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.01.029
Kye, S., Lee, J., & Park, H. (2024). Gratitude and mortality in older women: Longitudinal evidence from health and lifestyle factors. Journal of Aging and Health, 36(1), 45–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643231123456
McCraty, R., & Childre, D. (2004). The grateful heart: The psychophysiology of appreciation. Institute of HeartMath.
Nook, E. C., Cohen, J. R., Dunsmoor, J. E., et al. (2021). The neurocognitive architecture of gratitude. Nature Human Behaviour, 5, 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-00967-7
Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2015). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 37, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2015.01.002
