A Research Paper By Clara Zawawi, Transformation Coach, FRANCE
Feeling Sceptical About the Benefits of a Gratitude Practice? Let Me Change Your Mind.
The Roman philosopher Seneca (4BC – 65AD) said: The mind is a matter over every kind of fortune; itself acts in both ways, being the cause of its own happiness and misery (De Beneficiis; in Vost2018 ). Seneca understood what science has only been able to prove in the last fifty years or so – that a state of mind can be a matter of choice; that the brain can literally be changed.
For a long time, scientists thought that actual brain change was not possible; that neurons could not be replaced, and that the structure of the brain was immutable. Research has now demonstrated clearly that certain regions of the brain, particularly the hippocampus, are capable of generating new cells throughout adult life (Mateos-Aparicio & Rodrigues-Moreno, 2019).
Not only can new cells be generated, but what is now understood to be neural plasticity is that the nervous system has the ability to change its activity – with neurons modifying and strengthening the ability of synapses to transmit signals. This plasticity is intrinsic to the development and function of the brain and is essential for the development of memory and learning. (Mateos-Aparicio & Rodrigues-Moreno, 2019)
But what does the knowledge of the fact that the brain can regenerate and create new connections mean? Can we choose happiness or misery? Research on what is known as the Operational Architecture Framework theory demonstrates that every change at a mental level must be accompanied by a corresponding change at the neurophysiological level (Fingelkurts et al 2009).
People who suffer from depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder literally suffer a loss of synapses. In these disorders, people get stuck in neural ruts of negative thinking or feeling or in fear-based memories. By improving the connectivity of synapses through whatever means possible the individual experiences better cognitive and mental health. (www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/neuroplasticity).
The discovery of Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) which stimulates the growth of new synaptic connections and bolsters the strength of signals transmitted between neurons allows the tracking of the development of these connections. BDNF; which originates in the hippocampus (Chao, 2003) is what ‘carries’ serotonin and dopamine; the two ‘feel good’ chemicals that have been found to have a significant impact on depression (Martinowich& Lu, 2008).
So; the brain can change and make new connections and synaptic connectivity can be either lost or enhanced and encouraged. Encouraging and enhancing connectivity actively promotes the production and transmission of the ‘feel good’ chemicals serotonin and dopamine – an action that has a significant impact on cognitive and mental health – and blunts the impact of negative stimuli.
Further studies have shown that up to 40% of happiness is accounted for by intentional activity (Lyubomirsky; Sheldon &Schkade, 2005). And what is the activity that can most assist the brain to produce serotonin and dopamine; make these new positive connections; and have the strongest possible impact on cognitive and mental health?
Gratitude
What is gratitude? It’s been described as a situational; social and moral emotional feeling; a mediator of social cohesion and a reinforcer of reciprocal prosocial behavior (McCullough et al 2001) with its roots in social grooming from our primate past (Fox, 2017). Feelings of the most intense gratitude arrive when we receive gifts or help that fulfill a personal need particularly when we know that this help was deliberately given to us for that purpose (Tesser et al., 1968; Lane and Anderson, 1976).
In a landmark study by Glenn Fox (2017), when experiencing gratitude the participant’s brains showed activity in a set of regions located in the medial prefrontal cortex; where the two hemispheres of the brain meet. This area of the brain is associated with understanding other people’s perspectives, empathy, and feelings. This builds upon Zahn et al. (2009) which demonstrated that moral judgments involving feelings of gratefulness are evoked in the right anterior temporal cortex. In 2014, Zahn et al. found that people who express and feel gratitude have a higher volume of grey matter in the right inferior temporal gyrus of the brain.
These regions are part of the neural networks that fire when we socialize or experience pleasure. They are also heavily connected to the parts of the brain that control basic emotional regulation; such as heart rate and stress relief and are also associated with pain reduction. Additionally, they connect to the brain’s mu-opioid networks, which are activated during close interpersonal touch and relief from pain (Henning et al. 2017).
Henning et al. (2017) propose that it is the mu opioid reactors that mediate the social effects of gratitude which are beneficial for social, individual relationships and health. It is the mu opioid reactor system that is likely to be centrally responsible for maintaining the stable, long-term relationships characteristic of the human species (Machin & Dunbar, 2011). They propose that gratitude improves health by reducing psychological stress and producing rewards – personal and social – in its place.
The documented effects of gratitude are profound. When we express and receive gratitude our brains release serotonin and dopamine; those two neurotransmitters responsible for making us feel ‘good’. The feelings of happiness and contentment they produce have a physiological basis and are long-lasting. (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_can_the_brain_reveal_about_gratitude) . Since gratitude is directly targeted at building and sustaining social bondings (Algoe, Haidt & Gable, 2008) it helps improve relationships and reinforces prosocial responses so that not just immediate relationships improve; ALL relationships do.
The truly wonderful thing about this discovery is that gratitude is actually something that we can consciously practice.
Our brain is conditioned to function in a repeated way. From a neuroscience view, or Hebb’s Postulate; “neurons that fire together wire together”. In other words, we create neural shortcuts. (https://www.whartonhealthcare.org/the_neuroscience_of_gratitude).
As Korb (2012) points out, our brains can only process information in negative or positive ways – not both at once. Someone who worries about negative outcomes will eventually wire their brain to only process negative information, with the resultant effects. By consciously practicing gratitude, we can train our neural pathways to attend selectively to positive emotions and thoughts, creating a permanently grateful and positive outlook.
Unhappy people lean on their weaknesses and struggle with self-identity. Gratitude on the other hand encourages adaptive coping mechanisms and by creating the positive emotions of satisfaction, happiness, and pleasure gratitude builds our emotional resilience and gives us the inner strength to combat stress (Gloria and Steinhardt, 2016)
So how best to cultivate gratitude?
In terms of habits, the standard advice is sound –
- label the response you want to change; identify the new response you want to develop;
- explore what factors might reduce the unwanted response and boost the desired response.
- repeatedly practice the new response so it becomes ingrained (Emmons, 2010).
‘Normal’ habits can take a wide range of time to become entrenched. The classic study on habit formation indicates that it can range widely between individuals, from 18 –254 days (Lally et al, 2009). However, two factors give a great deal of comfort to anyone wanting to create and reap the benefits of a gratitude practice. The first is that though it can take a long time to develop a true habit, the key is overall consistency – missing one opportunity to perform the behavior did not affect the overall formation process.
The second factor seems to be unique to gratitude itself. It appears that the practice of gratitude not only shows material benefits from just a single practice but that the effect of that practice can continue to impact both physical and psychological well-being for years (https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/; Toepfer& Walker, 2016).
The outtake from that would appear to be that your gratitude practice does not have to be perfectly consistent for it to be effective. Overall consistency is good enough; especially since the effects of gratitude are so long-lasting. As an example, there was not much difference in OVERALL EFFECT between people who wrote a gratitude journal once or three times a week; or every day (Emmons & McCulloch, 2003).
What are the actual components of a practice of gratitude? According to Emmons (2010), there are only two parts to it: affirming the good things we’ve received and acknowledging the role other people play in providing our lives with goodness. There are many and varied ways in which to do this; keeping journals, making grateful observations; vowing to practice gratitude; watching your language; using breath; and meditating (https://www.mindful.org/an-introduction-to-mindful-gratitude/).
That’s all very well, but what we know from the study of habits is that the key to forming a habit is finding the simplest way to gain the most reward. That way we’re likely to be more consistent; create those neural pathways more effectively and reap the benefits of our practice more deeply and productively.
I asked a selection of participants in a WhatsApp gratitude group – of all different nationalities; professions and ages – to participate in a qualitative study to see if I could identify common touchpoints that would help anyone improve or further enjoy their habit of practicing gratitude.
75% of participants did not have a gratitude practice in advance of joining the group and were motivated by curiosity and a desire to change their perspective.
All of the participants agreed outright that belonging to the group was significant in helping them adhere to their practice :
“I love seeing the shares of everybody and how there is so much beauty in the world … (this group) helped me feel even more grateful and connected to others”
“(the group) exposes me to a different way of looking at life … I wanted to expand my horizons beyond what the Parisians call ‘metro … bulot .. dodo (roughly translates as go to work; come home; sleep, in endless, unvaried routine) The group practice definitely set a new, more conscious habit in my life.”
“Interest and companionship … the motivation comes from everyone’s story … very warm and interesting … takes you on an incredible journey”
“Having that group commitment with like-minded people helps remind me to find time now that I have toddlers – and it’s good to hear of their experiences”
Given the origins of gratitude in our deep primal past as a social glue, this finding is probably not surprising but it is valuable to see how such a belonging helps settle practice into habit.
Though the group had started as a structured daily reminder; with set tasks, the members felt that they did not need this to continue as a motivation for their practice; but they wanted to continue to feel connected to the other grateful people in the group. They felt motivated and grateful for the gift of OTHER PEOPLE’S experiences (which we have seen intensify gratitude), which acted as reminders to them to seek their own expressions of gratitude, a self-fulfilling cycle.
The online gratitude group initially followed a monthly plan as laid out in the book ‘The Magic (Byrne, R. 2012). When asked to report on which of the various gratitude activities the respondents found most resonated with them and /or that they were continuing to use 60 – 90 days later the answers were enlightening.
100% of the participants – the entire group – were still doing the nightly practice of thinking and being grateful for ‘the best part of their day’. They all found that this was the practice they found most beneficial and the easiest to remember to do. As one said; “I find it positively impacts the first thoughts of the morning”.
By contrast, only 50% carried out a ‘top and tail’ practice – counting their blessings in the morning and again at night.
Knowing what we know about feelings of gratitude creating serotonin and dopamine in the brain, it is not surprising that a practice of gratitude last thing at night helps us to sleep better and wake up feeling more positive. And again; as neurons that fire together wire together, the most effective practice of firing that brings the most reward becomes the most repeated.
Additionally; the nightly practice includes the use of a memory aid– a physical tool to help augment your memory. In this case, it’s a ‘special stone’ or object that one holds while reviewing the day with a grateful mindset. This simple tool kept by the bedside serves as a reminder to perform the practice – which then provides its serotonin/dopamine reward. Keeping it simple and making it routine AND rewarding – no surprise that it’s a winner in the habit stakes. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/managing-your-memory/202201/using-memory-aids.
That’s the long way to go; old Seneca was right. You can choose happiness over misery; you can rewire your brain. All it takes is a habit of gratitude – choose a simple routine; be as consistent as possible and you will, literally, change your mind.
References
Arosio, B; Guerini, FR; Oude Voshaar, RC; Aprahamian I; (2021) Blood Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Major Depression: Do We Have a Translational Perspective? Behavioral Neuroscience; 12 Feb (15) 2021
Budson, A.E., https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/managing-your-memory/202201/using-memory-aids. Feb 20, 2023
Byrne, R. (2012) The Magic (The Secret III); Atria, Sydney
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin8 March 2022
Davie, John (2007), Seneca: Dialogues and Essays. Oxford World Classics. ISBN 9780199552405
Emmons, R., (2010) Why Gratitude is Good, November 16, Greater Good Magazine
Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence. Bloomsbury Publishing, London
Goleman, D. (2006) Social Intelligence. Arrow Books, London
Henning, M; Fox GR; Kaplan, J.; Damasio, H; Damasio A. (2017) A Potential role for mu Opioids in mediating the Positive Effects of Gratitude; Frontiers in Psychology https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00868; https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00868/full
Mateos-Aparicio, P & Rodriguez-Moreno, A, (2019) The Impact of Studying Brain Plasticity Frontiers of Cellular Neuroscience; 27 Feb (13) https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2019.00066
https://www.mindful.org/an-introduction-to-mindful-gratitude/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/neuroplasticity
Toepfer SM & Walker K, Letters of Gratitude: Improving Well Being Through Expressive Writing Journal of Writing Research 1 (3) 181-198 2009
Vost, K. (2018) Dear Seneca, Thanks for the Gratitude; Modern Stoicism August