Gratitude: what the research says and how to practise it

Gratitude is more than saying thank you. It is noticing the good in your life and the people behind it, and research suggests that regularly practising it can lift your mood, although it is not a cure-all.

What gratitude is

• Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher quoted by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, says gratitude has two parts: affirming that there is goodness in your life, and recognising that the source of that goodness is outside yourself.
• That source is often other people. For people with a spiritual outlook it can also include God or a higher power, and gratitude is a theme in many faith traditions.
• Emmons calls gratitude a relationship-strengthening emotion, because it makes you notice what others have done for you.
• Gratitude is not pretending everything is fine. You can feel grateful for your friends and still be stressed about exams.

What the evidence shows

• In a well-known study by Emmons and McCullough (2003), people who kept a gratitude journal reported more gratitude, more positive moods and more optimism about the future than people who wrote about hassles or ordinary events; they also reported better sleep.
• In a 2005 study by Seligman and colleagues, writing and delivering a gratitude letter gave the biggest happiness boost of five exercises after one month, but by six months happiness had returned to its starting level.
• A study of adolescents (Froh and colleagues, 2009) found that teens who rarely felt positive emotions showed a significant boost two months after writing and delivering a gratitude letter.
• A 2021 review of 27 studies (Cregg and Cheavens) found gratitude interventions had only a small effect on symptoms of depression and anxiety. Gratitude is a helpful habit, not a treatment for mental illness.
• Greater Good also notes that some benefits may be smaller in more collectivist cultures, and that more research is needed across different groups.

Practice 1: the gratitude journal

• Greater Good in Action suggests writing down up to five things you are grateful for, about 15 minutes a session, at least three times a week, for at least two weeks.
• Write it, do not just think it: a notebook or phone note works.
• Be specific: 'My sister made me karak tea when I was revising late' beats 'my family'.
• Go deep rather than wide, focus on people more than things, and note surprises, which tend to produce stronger gratitude.
• Vary your entries. You can write about the same person again, but notice a different detail each time.

Practice 2: the gratitude letter

• Think of someone who did something important for you whom you never properly thanked, such as a teacher, coach, relative or older friend.
• Write to them directly: what they did, why it mattered, and how it still affects your life now. Spelling and grammar do not matter.
• Greater Good suggests about 10 minutes to write, and a visit where you read it aloud and then give them the letter. If they live far away, a video call works.
• Research summarised by Greater Good found that delivering and reading the letter brings significantly greater benefits than writing it alone.
• Because the boost fades over months, some researchers suggest repeating the exercise every six weeks or so.

Making it a habit, not a performance

• Attach gratitude to something you already do: after Fajr or your morning routine, before sleep, at family dinner, or on the bus to school.
• Thank people specifically and in the moment: 'Thank you for staying late to explain that question; it finally made sense.'
• If journalling feels forced, drop to one specific item a day rather than stopping completely.
• Avoid comparing your gratitude list with others or posting it for approval. It works best as a private habit.