Benefits of gratitude: The healthiest side dish

SALT LAKE CITY — ‘Tis the season of thanks, and research shows being grateful can have many health benefits.

“We don’t exactly know how, but we know it works,” said Spencer Hansen, an addiction psychiatrist with Intermountain Health.

He works with a lot of people who, because of their circumstances, may find it challenging to feel grateful.

“It can be very hard when you have a lot of reasons to not feel good,” Hansen said.

But, he added, having a thankful mindset can help us feel better physically — citing improvements to sleep and cardiovascular health. Plus, there are mental health benefits.

“Our depression goes down and our anxiety is more manageable when we practice gratitude,” Hansen said.

Studies show expressing gratitude can increase happiness by 25%.

“It just feels good,” Hansen said. “How that works is kind of the magic of gratitude.”

And it doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, Hansen added.

“It could be as easy as driving down the road and just thinking about the things that you’re grateful for around you. For example, that you’re in a car, a car that moves, a car that’s keeping you safe. Simply just reflecting on your internal state and your body and being grateful to be alive.”

Having an attitude of gratitude could also mean keeping a journal.

“Writing down a gratitude journal is a great distraction from that loud physical or mental pain that we otherwise are paying attention to if we’re not grateful,” Hansen said.

And it’s not just for the holidays — you can cultivate thankfulness year-round.

“(It’s) a very simple tool that everyone can practice day after day just to make our homes, neighborhoods, and communities healthier,” Hansen said.

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In partnership with Intermountain Health #yourlifeyourhealth