It is no secret that life can be demanding and frustrating sometimes. These stressors often make it difficult to appreciate the “little things” in day-to-day life.
But, a new study conducted by the University of Michigan found that gratitude can actually improve both your physical and mental health.
The study included nearly five thousand participants and was conducted using the mobile app MyBPLab.
The app’s sensors could track the participants’ blood pressure and heart rate– no matter where they were located.
The participant pool encompassed people from around the globe, including the United States, India, Australia, and Hong Kong.
This data collection process made the study immediately groundbreaking since it could be conducted remotely.
Participants would have had to schedule regular lab visits to collect the same data in the past.
Instead, the app’s sensors were able to track any blood volume changes by sending light waves through each participant’s skin.
Then, the app’s algorithm calculated blood pressure levels. In order to ensure accuracy, each participant used a standard arm cuff– like you would see at the doctor’s office– to calibrate the app.
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While tracking this data, the participants reported their habits and thought patterns– including exercise, sleep, stress levels, thoughts, etc.– three times each day.
In addition, they also rated different statements rooted in gratitude and optimism. This study lasted for a total of three weeks.
And, the study found positive results. According to the report, “Trait gratitude and trait optimism both predicted lower heart rate and blood pressure, better sleep quality, more exercise, less stress, more positive expectations and reflections, and greater feelings of appreciation toward others.”
Interestingly, gratitude and optimism did not completely overlap in their influences on mental health. Instead, the report says, “Gratitude was a strong predictor of felt appreciation toward others and pleasantness when reflecting on the best part of the day, whereas optimism was a stronger predictor of sleep quality, lower stress, and lower unpleasantness when reflecting on the worst part of the day.”
In other words, gratitude was expressed as an outward appreciation of external factors, whereas optimism lead people to focus on their own actions and future.
David Newman, the lead author of the study, said, “Our findings provide important advances to our understanding of gratitude and optimism by showing that gratitude contributes to accentuating the positive aspects of the day, whereas optimism functions by minimizing the negative aspects of the day.”
The study’s researchers are hopeful that these findings will provide insight into the health consequences of these “similar and differential influences of positive dispositions on psychological and physiological outcomes.”
So, maybe trying out a daily gratitude journal is a good idea after all. You may find yourself feeling a bit more well-rested, calmer, and in a better mood.
To read the complete scientific study, visit the link here.