The Science Behind Gratitude
“Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress. The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.”(Emmons)
Many studies have been done about the benefits of gratitude, far more than I have included here. The science is overwhelmingly in agreement that if you want to make very positive changes in how you experience life then even being grateful once a week can make a big difference.
Prof Robert Emmons has done much of the well known research into gratitude and his findings are backed up by many others. Most of the new research and funding of research into gratitude is coming out of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Here are some good articles.
Happier Human – The Science Behind Gratitude
How Gratitude Improves Your Health
Why Gratitude is Good – USC Berkeley
Gratitude: The Queen of Virtues