How Gratitude Can Stabilize Brain Chemistry

WRITTEN BY HIRA KHAN

Photograph by Jade Stephens

Daily life has become increasingly competitive. 
Every day, we are asked to push harder to succeed, make more money, or acquire more possessions. It can be stressful and depressing to be caught up in this rat race of false achievements.

Some people find themselves depressed even after they achieve important milestones or can afford the material goods they desire. If you can relate to this, you might benefit from practicing gratitude.

Gratitude can stabilize your brain chemistry and help you to live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Why Does Gratitude Create Healing of the Brain?

Gratitude releases serotonin and dopamine, which are the substances that help us experience positive emotions. When we practice gratitude, we can train the brain to feel happier and experience life in a more emotionally stable way.

Practicing gratitude daily can enable more effective communication in relationships. It can also help you to feel more connected to the things and people in your life. Appreciation can also assist with your worldview and allow you to be patient with those with different viewpoints or lifestyles from yours.

Gratitude practice has also been shown to help you navigate diverse generational gaps and the difficulties that can arise when you and coworkers or even family members disagree on specific topics. Being focused on things other than getting ahead and being right all the time can help you focus on the present moment. Petty misunderstandings become small and unimportant in the larger span of things.

How do I Bring Gratitude Into my Life?

If you want to use gratitude practice to stabilize your brain chemistry and make your daily existence more harmonious and peaceful, meditation is a great tool to help you to meet this goal. Just fifteen minutes of meditation practice a day can help you enjoy life more fully, be more present in the moment, and let go of societal pressures to feel like you never have enough of what you need.

Meditation allows your brain to rest and find an inner sense of calmness and peace.  Things like grounding and yoga can also help you with your gratitude practice, especially if you prefer a more active style of engaging with meditative practice.

Internal peace requires that you seek moments of quiet reflection. You cannot know what you truly need or want if you don’t allow your brain to be calm enough to identify its needs. Meditation work and gratitude practice can also allow your nervous system to calm down, improving your overall well-being.

Gratitude is One Key to a Healthy Brain

If you have been struggling with depression or feelings that you will never be happy or fulfilled with what you have, gratitude practice can be the answer you have been looking for. You will find that even one session of meditative gratitude practice can help you find joy in the little things in your life that matter. Being able to define your happiness without pressure from society, the media, or even your family can help you live a happier and more fulfilling life every day.◼︎