Health benefits of Gratitude and Positivity 

It’s no secret that most of us would rather surround ourselves with people who are positive and upbeat, regardless of whether life is going smoothly or if you’re going through challenges. But are the people who exude positivity healthier than the Negative Nellies?

Caryn McAllister, PT, DPT, and the multidisciplinary team at High Quality Home Therapy share their insights on the health benefits of gratitude and positivity.

Mind over matter

We all have people in our lives who think the worst of every situation. While it may be hard to be around people who never see the upside of a standpoint, does it really matter? Actually, yes!

How a person navigates everyday life and the challenges that arise has mental and physical ramifications for our health. According to research, positive attitudes help people enjoy mental and physical health benefits. Remarkably, one research study reported that patients with a positive outlook and a family history of heart disease were 33% less likely to have a heart attack or other cardiovascular incident than their negative counterparts.

While researchers are unsure of the exact link between health benefits, positivity, and gratitude, theories confirm that positive thinking helps reduce stress-related inflammation. Some researchers believe that positive thoughts and expressions of gratitude trigger the release of oxytocin, “the love hormone,” that produces feelings of trust, relaxation, and connection. 

Positivity and gratitude also increase the likelihood of making better life and health decisions. Simply put, when you are a positive thinker, you create better solutions instead of bigger problems.

Numerous health benefits of positivity and gratitude

Regardless of how positivity triggers the brain, there are many impactful health benefits.

• Helps pain management and tolerance – Positive people seem to be more resistant to pain and can better tolerate pain when they do experience it.
• Improves healing and strengthens the immune system – One research study reported that the more positive a patient was, the better their ability to ward off disease.  
• Improves outcomes and boosts life satisfaction – Patients with conditions such as traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, and even stroke can achieve better outcomes when they apply positive thinking to their situation.
• Enhances overall wellness – Clinical studies connect positive thinking to a reduced risk of death from heart attacks and cardiovascular issues, a lower risk for depression, and they tend to live a longer life expectancy.

Our integrative, holistic approach can assist

Many of the health benefits of positive thinking and gratitude are remarkably similar to the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy, making our services a complement to treatment plans for issues such as chronic pain, trauma from injuries, or post-surgery healing.

Our highly skilled professionals offer in-home services to patients throughout Connecticut and New York. We offer our patients superior therapeutic services in a multidisciplinary team setting. So, whether you’re a glass-half-empty or a glass-half-full person, our services can help you achieve and maintain a productive, high-quality life.

To learn more about how we can help, contact High Quality Home Therapy in Stamford, Connecticut, by using our online booking feature or calling us today to schedule a consultation.