ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

Being appreciative can do wonders for your mental health. Here are some easy techniques to help when life is tough

- SUSIE KEARLEY 

The Importance Of Gratitude

A thankful outlook helps us to focus on the positives in life, even when things aren't going to plan. This has a hugely beneficial impact on our mental health and wellbeing. A recent Japanese study among pensioners concluded that older people had an "attitude of gratitude" which kept them feeling hopeful, even though they faced many age-related challenges.

The role of gratitude in relation to our mental health is important, because if we're grateful for what we've got, rather than feeling disappointed because we don't have everything we'd like, it can completely transform our view of life. Being thankful boosts contentment and happiness by a considerable margin.

When we're grateful, the brain releases chemicals associated with happiness dopamine and serotonin. These neurotransmitters make us feel good. Meditation guru Emily Fletcher says that gratitude is a natural anti-depressant which, when practised daily, allows us to develop a more positive outlook.

Another study showed that people who wrote letters of gratitude while undertaking counselling recovered more quickly than those who received counselling alone. Even our perception of the intensity of physical pain is reduced by counting our blessings instead of our burdens.