Overview
- Large cohort data from the Nurses’ Health Study report that older women with the highest gratitude scores were 9% less likely to die over four years.
- A UCLA Health review pooling about 70 studies found associations between cultivating gratitude and lower depression levels alongside higher self‑esteem.
- Laboratory findings from UC San Diego show brief thank‑you exchanges before a stressful task improved cardiovascular responses and team performance.
- Clinicians highlight physiological effects such as parasympathetic activation and better sleep, with some reporting links to dopamine and serotonin changes.
- Accessible routines are being promoted, including about 15 minutes a day over six weeks, gratitude letters, journals and app prompts, with schools and community groups building simple practices into daily life as scholars caution effects are generally small and not a substitute for care.