An Overview of Gratitude as a Mind-Body-Spirit Practice in Optimizing Health and Human Functioning

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of gratitude as a concept and as a mind-body-spirit practice, impacting health and human functioning throughout the lifespan, that can be integrated into daily life to great benefit at no cost. Current society is rife with increases in stress, anxiety, depression, lifestyle-related diseases, and social isolation. The practice of gratitude and its interrelated pro-social, health-enhancing, resilience-building effects suggest that promoting gratitude from childhood through adulthood may provide much-needed, accessible reinforcement towards optimal health and wellbeing.KeywordGratitude; health; resilience