How Gratitude Can Aid in Anti-Aging

There is really no way that we can avoid getting older. Even though we know this to be true, people in western cultures seem to be obsessed with anti-aging: they want to feel youthful and vibrant; they also want the benefits that come with youth, such as good health and longevity. In reality, just because we are getting older, it does not mean that we have lost our youthfulness. Youthfulness is not necessarily an age but a state of mind. There are several things that we can do in order to maintain our youthfulness, but one of the main influences on it is a spirit of gratefulness.

What About a Grateful Mindset?

Much research has gone into the importance of having a positive state of mind as we age. Several beliefs about the topic of mindset have been debunked. One of these beliefs was that mindset is not something that can be changed. Carol Dweck, a psychologist and author of Mindset, shows several case studies that demonstrate a person’s state of mind can truly be changed.

One mindset is called the “growth mindset,” and the second mindset is called the “fixed mindset.” When a person has a growth mindset, he or she believes that anything is attainable. A growth mindset helps a person live a life that is full of rich experiences, and the person is grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow. When a person has a growth mindset, not only does he or she live longer, but the individual lives a happier life. We would all do well to learn about the positive aspects of gratitude because a positive attitude can help us live a healthy life now and enjoy good mental and physical health in the future.

What Are Some Anti-Aging Benefits of Gratitude?

Gratitude is not only something that can help us stay positive emotionally, but it also has many other benefits. Gratitude has been shown to slow down the aging process. When we show gratitude, we are able to better manage our stress. Serotonin and dopamine are known to be the happy hormones in our brains. When we show gratitude, these hormones are released. When we have these happy hormones in our body, we feel more positive, and we are also able to fight off negative emotions. As a result, we feel less anger, and we are able to better cope with the difficulties of life as we age.

Apart from that, psychologists have found that gratitude can even help us sleep better. Studies have found that when patients with sleeping disorders write a list of their reasons for gratefulness before they go to sleep, they are able to fall asleep faster and more soundly. Gratitude also works wonders on our immune systems. When we look positively toward our future, our optimism allows the immune systems to produce more blood cells that protect our bodies. Science has not been able to prove exactly why this is true, but in multiple studies, this has been the case.

Do You Want to Feel Younger? Show Gratitude

People who show more gratitude live longer and happier lives. There are many anecdotal and scientific reasons for it, but in the end, people who show gratitude are generally happy and positive. When we are happy, we tend to have more people who want to be around us. When we are surrounded by people who love us and appreciate us, we tend to live longer and more fulfilling lives.

Regardless of our age, showing gratitude will not only help us feel and look good, but it will help us gain and maintain relationships. When we live life with gratitude, we will still keep aging, but we will never lose our youthfulness, which is the best anti-aging resource.