By Davidmassoud56 
Gratitude, health, and longevity
How do we live our lives with the power of gratitude? Numerous beneficial health impacts of gratitude have been highlighted by recent studies, including improved emotional and social well-being, higher-quality sleep, a decreased risk of depression, and favorable markers of cardiovascular health. Recent findings from the long-term Nurses’ Health Study suggest that it might increase longevity.
VanderWeele, a co-author of the current study, adds, “We could not locate a single prior study that looked at its impact on mortality and lifespan, much to our surprise.” Gratitude has been one of the most thoroughly studied acts leading to well-being.
What did the study look at?
The new study, which was published in July 2024 in JAMA Psychiatry, used information from 49,275 women who were part of the Nurses’ Health Study. Their ages were 79 on average. A six-item thankfulness questionnaire was given to participants in 2016, and they had to rank how much they agreed with statements like “I have so much in life to be thankful for” and “If I were to describe everything I felt glad for, it would be a very long list.” Researchers looked through participant medical information four years later to find out who had passed away. In addition to deaths from particular causes such cancer, respiratory disorders, neurological illnesses, infections, and injuries, there were 4,608 deaths from all causes.
The most frequent cause of death was cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US.
What did the researchers find?
At the beginning of the trial, individuals who scored in the top third for gratitude had a 9% lower chance of passing away over the next four years than those who scored in the lowest third. After adjusting for factors such as financial status, physical health, and other facets of wellbeing and mental health, this remained unchanged. Those who felt gratitude appeared to be shielded against all of the death causes that were examined, including heart disease. What does this really mean, though?
According to VanderWeele, “a 9% reduction in mortality risk is substantial, but not huge.” But the amazing thing about thankfulness is that almost everyone can cultivate it. Anyone may acknowledge their surroundings and give thanks to others for the positive things in their lives.” Though the study was unable to determine the exact reason, VanderWeele thinks a number of things could be involved. “We are aware that feeling thankful lifts one’s spirits. That has a negligible impact on the chance of dying,” he claims. “Being grateful could also increase someone is motivation to look after their health. Maybe they’re more likely to show up for medical appointments or exercise. Additionally, connections and social support—both of which are known to be beneficial to health—may be improved.
What are the strengths and limitations of the study?
It was an observational research. That is to say, it can only demonstrate that there is a relationship rather than proving that thankfulness extends life. Furthermore, according to VanderWeele, the research’s greatest strength and drawback are related to the specific sample of individuals examined. They were all senior female nurses from wealthy backgrounds. White people made up the great majority. Does the longevity effect apply to younger people, men, and people from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds? VanderWeele queries. “All of those are unanswered.”
Positively, he claims that one of the study sample’s greatest assets is its size. Thus, too, is the wealth of information acquired about plausible confounding variables, including participants’ physical and social health as well as other facets of psychological well-being. “We were able to show reasonable evidence for this moderate longevity effect because of the size of the sample and the quality of the data,” he says.
Try these six questions to inspire gratitude:
Not feeling especially grateful today? You have the power to change that. Asking yourself certain questions can evoke gratitude, such as
- What happened today that was good?
- What am I taking for granted that I can be thankful for?
- Which people in my life am I grateful for?
- What is the last book I read or movie, show, or social media clip I saw that I really appreciated, and why?
- What am I most looking forward to this week, month, and year, and why?
- What is the kindest thing someone has said or done lately?
Similarly, a few simple actions can infuse gratitude into your days. Try VanderWeele’s family routine of regularly expressing gratitude around the dinner table. Another well-known practice — that’s perhaps becoming forgotten in this digital age — is penning thank you notes.