We can train our brain to focus on positive thoughts, improving our well being and reducing the impacts from stress and anxiety.
The brain cannot respond to anxiety and gratitude at the same time. It is an “either/or” situation. We can feel anxious and other negative feelings, or we can feel grateful and all of the positive emotions that are associated with it.
Our brain operates in either a sympathetic (fight or flight) or parasympathetic (rest and digest) mode. The purpose of the sympathetic mode is to protect us in life-threatening emergency situations, so our body can respond quickly (think hunter about to be attacked by a lion). The parasympathetic mode is our “rest and digest” mode and this is the state we should be in most of the time. However, in modern society, the constant stressors in our life can cause us to stay in the “sympathetic/fight or flight” mode. So, how do we train ourselves to move out of fight or flight and back to a restful, calm state? Being in a state of gratitude has a potent effect on moving us to a parasympathetic (rest or digest) stage. When we express gratitude and receive the same, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel better, immediately enhancing our mood.
There are a number of health benefits to regularly practicing gratitude. In Alex Korb’s article, “How Gratitude Shapes your Brain,” he shares how studies have shown that a consistent gratitude practice helps with the following:
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Releasing negative emotions
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Reducing pain
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Improving sleep quality
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Reducing anxiety and depression
https://www.noomii.com/articles/13710-gratitude-and-anxiety-cannot-coexist