Consciously training our sense of gratitude is good for mental health

Research shows that people who live their lives with a sense of gratitude are happier and less likely to suffer from psychological issues. A study by the University of Twente shows that training yourself to be more thankful can help people to feel better and increase mental resilience. This is the first time that this has been demonstrated convincingly. Professor of Positive Mental Health Ernst Bohlmeijer explains: “Previously, research into exercises to train people’s sense of gratitude had not been able to discern much effect. So we decided to study the effect of a six-week training. The results of the study were published today in the Journal of Happiness Studies.”

The study, which was carried out at the University of Twente and involved 217 participants, shows that a six-week training in which participants trained their sense of gratitude led to an increase in gratitude as well as a sizeable increase in their sense of well-being. These effects also remained evident over the longer term. Gratitude means focusing on what is good in our life. This includes being able to take pleasure in simple things, being aware of abundance, and appreciating things that other people do for us. ”

Read more of the original article from MedicalXpress

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