Healthy Tips: Gratitude: Nature’s Stress Buster You Don’t Have to Swallow

An attitude of gratitude has health benefits for us. For the next 5 days, including today, I will provide blog posts that provide a way in which you can use gratitude to improve your health.

Why pop a pill when you can lower stress levels by saying “thank you” to life’s little gifts—like your coffee staying hot until the last sip?

Chronic stress wrecks your health—but gratitude fights back. Research shows that practicing gratitude reduces cortisol levels and increases heart rate variability, a marker of resilience. Start small: each night before bed, write down 3 things you’re grateful for. They can be as simple as not burning your toast.

Practice Tip: Create a “gratitude jar.” Each day, write one good thing that happened and toss it in. On tough days, pick a few out and remind yourself: you’ve got more wins than you thought.

Think gratitude only calms your nerves? Wait until you see what it does for your heart—literally. Stay tuned for a cardiac surprise.