In a 4-minute audio file heard on Morning Edition, National Public Radio reports, “If You Feel Thankful, Write It Down. It’s Good For Your Health.”
The report mentions Laurie Santos, who teaches a course on the science of well-being and happiness at Yale University and Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.
Sonja Lyubomirsky, whose research career has been devoted to studying human happiness, is also the author of, “The How of Happiness” and “The Myths of Happiness.”
NPR’s Maanvi Singh says, “Gratitude is being endorsed by wellness blogs and magazines. You can buy different kinds of specific gratitude journals, or download apps that remind you to jot down your blessings.”
According to Singh, “There’s a growing body of research on the benefits of gratitude. Studies have found that giving thanks and counting blessings can help people sleep better, lower stress and improve interpersonal relationships.”
However, “for all the research on the broad benefits of expressing gratitude, there’s also evidence that it isn’t for everyone. And it isn’t a panacea – it can’t make injustice, loss, or pain disappear.”
Nevertheless, gratitude can give us hope. “The research shows that focusing on the positive, in addition to the negative, can boost our mood more than we expect,” says Laurie Santos.