You’ve probably heard that practicing gratitude can help you hack your way to better health. Whether that means keeping a gratitude journal, becoming addicted to inspirational memes & quotes, or adding #blessed to everything you post on Instagram… the cult of gratitude is growing.
But the general approach to gratitude misses the crucial (and most powerful) points about why gratitude matters and how it impacts your life.
So here’s what you need to do. (You should totally listen to me because I’m a doctor.)
Ignore the annoying gratitude cliches that promote cognitive dissonance. You’re going to have a hard time silently biding everyone you see on the street namaste if you’re feeling burnt out at work, you’re not making enough time to take care of yourself, or if you’re dealing with the endless personal dramas that come with being an adult. Sometimes life is tough and trying to force yourself into a superficial state of gratitude can make you feel worse, not better.
Acknowledge that to practice gratitude you don’t have to ignore bad, frustrating, or uncomfortable things in your life. You don’t have to pretend to be a rose-colored glasses wearing Pollyanna. You just have to get real.
Because when you get into a genuine state of gratitude your brain becomes a pharmacy of feel good neurochemicals. I like to call this powerful cocktail The Gratitude Pharmacy. It’s made up of:
- Dopamine – a neurotransmitter that motivates you and gives you a rush of excitement when you complete a task or reach a goal.
- Endorphins – groups of peptide hormones that activate opiate receptors. They produce a morphine-like effect, functioning as an analgesic and sedative.
- Oxytocin – peptide hormone and neuropeptide known as the “cuddle hormone”. It increases levels of trust and intimacy in social bonding and intimate relationships.
- Serotonin – a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory, sexual desire, and more. High levels of serotonin make you feel important and appreciated. Most antidepressants seek to increase serotonin levels.
So now that you know about The Gratitude Pharmacy and how gratitude is more about keeping it real than pretending you’re totally happy 24/7 I need you to do something.
Ask yourself, what am I grateful for? You don’t even have to come up with a list. Just asking yourself this question will begin to trigger your Gratitude Pharmacy.
If you want extra credit points – set a recurring alarm on your phone to go off once a day with the note, “What am I grateful for?” to help build an easy automatic gratitude practice (so you can reap the neurochemical reward!)
You’re more in control of your health and happiness than you realize.
And taking control of your health is easier than you realize. In this case, just asking yourself a question can help improve your health immediately.
In gratitude,
Dr. Kien
PS – Think of someone you’re grateful for… Please share this article with them. You’ll get another chemical brain boost and you might just make their day a little more satisfying, too.
