Last year for Thanksgiving we talked about the original celebrants, the Plymouth Pilgrims, their struggles, and why there were grateful to celebrate the First Thanksgiving. After everything they’d gone through, it was completely natural to them to take time to feel gratitude and give thanks to God. In modern society, however, we don’t work much on feeling or practicing gratitude. Did you know there are very practical reasons for taking a pause and putting the challenges of life into perspective? Even scientists have noticed the benefits practicing gratitude can have on health and wellness.
A study published in The Journal of Psychosomatic Research found a link between gratitude and quality of sleep: “Gratitude predicted greater subjective sleep quality and sleep duration, and less sleep latency and daytime dysfunction.” Why? Thinking positively potentially soothes the brain and readies it for better rest and relaxation. Some people even keep a gratitude journal and write in it at the end of the day before bed. It’s a good way to keep track of the blessings in your life.
Gratitude may help you keep the pounds off as well. Not only has a daily gratitude habit been found to correlate with increased patience; it’s also been found to influence willpower or self control. Both of these are important in losing weight because impulsivity is a dieter’s enemy. Many people binge on food for comfort when they are feeling sad or angry. Focusing on the good things in life can help break this habit.
Finally, it’s not surprising, but creating an attitude of gratitude can help control depression. One specific technique, called the Three Good Things, has been shown to alleviate depression and improve happiness. This is similar to keeping a gratitude journal. Subjects were asked to write down three good things that happened each day and then the reason why these things had happened. It helped them to refocus their attention on the positive and see that good things often come from effort – which is something they have control over. This makes them feel less helpless and fated to be unhappy.
No doubt the original Pilgrims would laugh at the “psychology of gratitude.” They believed in being grateful to God for the blessings he sent them. Still, it’s clear that these people were able to accomplish amazing things in a new world entirely unfamiliar to them. Their faith and attitude of gratitude was a part of that.
If you haven’t made a practice of thinking about the blessings in your life, this Thanksgiving Day would be an excellent time to try it. Here at Bond Products we are thankful for our customers, our workers, and the opportunities we have to operate our business in America. Happy Thanksgiving to you from all of us at Bond Products!
