The Life-Changing Power of Gratitude

When life feels stressful and overwhelming, finding things to be thankful for might seem like the furthest thing from our mind. However, despite sounding counterintuitive, the truth is that practicing gratitude could be just the thing to pull you out of a negative headspace and transform your day. By shifting your focus to what’s going well, even in the smallest ways, you create a mental buffer against stress and anxiety. In fact, it’s often during these difficult moments that practicing gratitude can have the most profound impact on your mental health. Shown to improve your mood, increase emotional resilience, and promote overall mental well-being, we’re sharing what research says about the power of gratitude, including how to implement this simple practice when you need it most.

What the Research Says: 10 Benefits of Gratitude For Mood & Mental Health

Gratitude is nothing new, yet it’s often overlooked when it comes to coping during difficult times. We often turn to external solutions — distractions, venting, or problem-solving — when we feel overwhelmed. However, research shows that practicing gratitude can offer powerful internal shifts that help us navigate stress more effectively. Here’s how it may help:

#1 Reduces Feelings of Depression and Anxiety

Practicing gratitude can significantly lower symptoms of depression and anxiety. The mere act of focusing on the positive in your life helps to naturally shift your attention away from those negative thoughts that fuel these emotions. Research published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that individuals who engaged in gratitude practices experienced a notable decrease in depression and anxiety, even during times of stress. There’s even evidence from UC Davis Health linking gratitude practices to significant reductions in cortisol levels (as much as 23%). In fact, simply keeping a gratitude journal for two weeks could mitigate perceived stress levels by close to 30%.

#2 Improves Emotional Resilience

Practicing gratitude helps build emotional resilience, which is the ability to recover from stressful events more quickly. While it doesn’t erase stress, it offers a buffer, making it easier to navigate through it. Research has linked gratitude practices to an improved ability to handle emotional challenges and recover from setbacks — especially if practiced consistently over time.

#3 Enhances Sleep Quality

Gratitude has been shown to improve sleep, which is vital for maintaining good mental health (among nearly every other health metric). Found to improve sleep quality and duration, reduce ruminating and worrying at night, and calm the nervous system, adding a gratitude practice to your evening routine could significantly benefit both your mind and body.

Whether you listen to a guided FitOn meditation, quietly reflect on the positive aspects of your day, or jot down a few things you’re grateful for, focusing on positive thoughts before sleep can quiet the mind and reduce the stress that often disrupts rest.

#4 Strengthens Relationships

Expressing gratitude can deepen connections and strengthen relationships. Whether it’s a friend, partner, or colleague, expressing gratitude and showing appreciation fosters a sense of closeness and trust. While letting others in can feel like a challenge during difficult times — especially if you tend to isolate as a means of protection — it’s often when gratitude is needed most. These stronger connections can provide a sense of community, belonging, and emotional support, helping you feel less alone and more connected to those around you.

#5 Increases Happiness

Gratitude doesn’t just help you boost your mood during difficult times — it can also increase overall happiness and optimism long-term! By focusing on what you have rather than what you lack, gratitude shifts your mindset towards abundance. In fact, a famous study by Dr. Robert Emmons, a world-renowned expert on gratitude, found that participants who kept gratitude journals reported feeling more optimistic and satisfied with their lives, both immediately and over time. These same individuals were also more likely to accomplish their personal goals and experience increased positive emotions, such as determination and energy.

#6 Lowers Stress Levels

When you’re feeling overwhelmed or navigating a tough situation, try to remember that gratitude has a direct impact on stress reduction. Shown to reduce cortisol levels, the body’s primary stress hormone, this simple mindfulness practice can go a long way in reframing your mindset and creating a mental buffer against the pressures of daily life.

#7 Improves Physical Health

Interestingly, gratitude can also benefit your physical health. Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude tend to have improved heart health, and healthier sleep patterns. Beyond improved health metrics, there’s research to suggest these individuals are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors like exercise and regular doctor visits. This connection highlights how practicing gratitude isn’t just beneficial for your mind — it’s also beneficial for your body.

#8 Boosts Mood

From a neuroscience perspective, gratitude activates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and serotonin — two neurotransmitters that play a key role in mood regulation. According to research from UC Berkeley, this can foster a long-term shift towards more positive thinking. The more you practice gratitude, the easier it becomes for your brain to naturally focus on the positives, where a consistent practice can help you rewire neural pathways over time.

#9 Shifts Focus From Negative to Positive

During challenging times, it’s easy to become consumed by what’s going wrong. However, consciously acknowledging what you’re grateful for can interrupt this cycle and encourage a more balanced perspective.

#10 Encourages Mindfulness

If you tend to ruminate on the past or stress about the future, gratitude may help to anchor you in the present moment. By focusing on what you’re grateful for in the here and now, you’re better able to connect to the present experience and fully engage with what’s happening around you. Shown to reduce anxiety and stress, and boost overall well-being, practicing gratitude is one of the best ways to foster mindfulness.

6 Tips to Start Practicing Gratitude Right Now

If you’re new to gratitude practices, here are some simple ways to get started:

#1 Keep a Gratitude Journal

If you haven’t already, start a gratitude journal and dedicate five minutes each day toward a daily entry. If your journal is blank without journal prompts, start by writing down three things you’re grateful for. They don’t have to be major events — small moments from your day, like a delicious meal, a hug from your child, or a kind word from a friend, can have a powerful effect.

#2 Practice Gratitude Meditation

Gratitude meditation is a mindfulness practice that allows you to focus on what you appreciate, helping to shift your mindset toward positivity, even during difficult times. Research shows that gratitude meditation helps lower stress and anxiety by activating brain areas associated with positive emotions. By regularly meditating on gratitude, you’re training your brain to notice and appreciate the small moments of joy, comfort, or connection in everyday life— a shift in perspective that not only boosts mood, but also builds long-term emotional resilience.

Here are some gratitude meditations to consider including in your day:

Moments of Gratitude with Kenta Seki
Gratitude Affirmations with Kenta Seki
Gratitude to My Body with DeAndre Sinette

#3 Create Visual Reminders

Creating visual reminders of what you’re grateful for can help keep gratitude at the forefront of your mind. This could be as simple as placing photos of loved ones, happy memories, or sticky notes with positive affirmations and uplifting messages in places you frequently see, like your desk, fridge, or mirror. Though small, research has shown that seeing these visual reminders can trigger a quick mental shift, helping you break out of negative thinking patterns and refocus on the good things you might otherwise overlook.

#4 Verbalize Your Gratitude

Expressing your gratitude out loud can amplify its positive effects. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or coworker, saying thank you and verbalizing what you appreciate helps solidify the feeling and strengthens your connection with others. Plus, it’s a win-win — the giver and receiver both benefit from this gratitude practice!

#5 Perform Random Acts of Kindness

Engaging in random acts of kindness is a simple yet powerful way to practice gratitude and spread positivity. Whether it’s surprising someone with a coffee, holding the door open for a stranger, or giving a genuine compliment, thoughtful gestures remind you of the abundance in your own life while brightening someone else’s day. This is especially true when you’re in a funk — the act of giving to others creates a cycle of positivity that can boost your mood and shift your mindset.

#6 Focus on Small Wins

During difficult times, when seemingly nothing is going right, it can be easy to overlook the small victories in your life. However, focusing on these “small wins” might be exactly what you need. Whether it’s completing a task, having a good conversation, or simply getting through the day, recognizing and giving meaning to these little “wins” in your day can help reduce feelings of overwhelm and remind you to keep pushing through.

The Powerful Practice of Gratitude

When faced with adversity, whether with your health, a relationship, or circumstances out of your control, it’s easy to spiral into negative thinking. While it’s important to acknowledge these difficult emotions as they surface, it’s just as important to find ways to cope and balance these feelings — which is where gratitude comes in. Backed by research, practicing gratitude can help shift your mindset, lower stress, and enhance well-being, making it a vital practice for navigating life’s ups and downs. By incorporating small acts of gratitude into your daily routine — whether through meditation, visual reminders, or expressing appreciation — you can strengthen your mental well-being and navigate tough moments with a more optimistic and grounded perspective.