10 Reasons You Should Be Practising Gratitude for Anxiety and Mental Health

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Practicing gratitude may sound cliche; you might even cringe a little bit when you think about it but proof is in the pudding, my friends: gratitude works. Gratitude exercises are scientifically proven to rewire your brain through this beautiful thing called neuroplasticity. This offers a flood of promising benefits that can improve your mental health in all the ways you want. Whether you’re conquering anxiety or simply looking to boost your brain, knowing the benefits of gratitude is the push you need to get started. 

What Is Gratitude, Really?

Gratitude is a gentle practice that simply involves bringing your attention to the things in life that you’re happy to have—big and small. Yes, that’s it. While there are many different ways to practice gratitude, some more complex than others, it really is just the process of noticing the good things around you. It might be the sunset one day and all green lights the next, or a mindful moment, a text from a friend, or a good meal. 

Gratitude is also an emotional response that you have when you feel and appreciate the good that you have in your life, whether it comes from other people, the environment, or even within yourself. 

By practising gratitude, you can generate more feelings of gratitude. And the more gratitude you experience in your day, the stronger your mental health gets because the benefits of practising gratitude run deep in your brain. 

How Does Gratitude Work?

On a deeper level, gratitude is a mindset shift. It’s like you’re wiring your brain to find, appreciate and pay attention to the good things happening around you. Over time, this trains your brain to notice these things more than you do the negative or “bad” experiences you come across throughout the day. When you keep hitting red lights, you’re still able to appreciate that you have a car to get you from your therapist to your doctors. Or you can just do all of that online with Hims and Hers—but I digress. 

Gratitude exercises are not to be mistaken for toxic positivity. Although, it may seem like you’re dismissing how you feel to “just be positive” when you first start practising gratitude. However, it’s not so much about neglecting how you feel when you’re angry, sad or anxious but more about finding glimmers and just being thankful.

By regularly reflecting on and expressing thankfulness, gratitude becomes a powerful tool for enhancing mental health as it shifts your brain from “what I don’t have” or “all the bad things happening” to “what I do have” and all of the good, beautiful things that encompasses.

The Benefits of Practising Gratitude That Make It Worth It

The more gratitude you experience (yes, even if it’s “forced” through an intentional gratitude exercise), the more gratitude you will have. And the more gratitude you have, the stronger your mental health becomes. This occurs through neuroplasticity. When you focus on what you’re grateful for, it can do all kinds of amazing things for that beautiful brain of yours.

Now, focusing on the lack of or the negative aspects of situations can actually make your mental health worse. Your brain is rewiring itself all the time, you want to make sure it’s working in the ways we want it do and providing you with the benefits you want.

1. Calms the Nervous System

Gratitude is like a soothing balm for an overstimulated nervous system (magnesium lotion is also a soothing balm for soothing your nervous system). When you’re experiencing constant anxiety, your body enters into a constant state of being on alert. This results in tight muscles, rapid heartbeat, racing thoughts, and all the good things that we love so much about anxiety. *sarcasm*

It’s exhausting.

Practising gratitude, on the other hand, signals to your brain that it’s okay to relax. Even something as simple as silently acknowledging a soft blanket, a warm drink, or the fact that you made it through the day sends a message to your body that you are safe. 

This small shift in perspective can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” mode. This is where healing happens—both mentally and physically as regularly practising gratitude will help regulate your stress response. You’ll find yourself feeling calmer and more stable, even in chaotic or triggering situations that would have “sucked you in” otherwise.

2. Rewires Negative Thought Patterns

Anxiety has a way of convincing you that everything is going wrong—or going to go wrong, even when it’s not. It trains your brain to scan for danger, uncertainty, and potential failure. Gratitude interrupts that cycle. When you focus on what’s going well, even just one small thing, you start to challenge those deeply embedded anxious thought loops.

The brain is remarkably adaptable. With consistent practice, gratitude can literally reshape how your brain processes information. Instead of automatically jumping to worst-case scenarios, you’ll start noticing what’s working, what’s steady, and what’s bringing you peace. Now, that’s not to say that your anxious thoughts or depression will disappear overnight but it will make them easier to navigate.

When you start practising gratitude, do it for the long-haul because a consistent practice is the key to continuous improvement in your mental health.

3. Strengthens Your Mind-Body Connection

Anxiety often pulls you out of your body or what is commonly referred to as dissociation. It makes you feel disconnected, like you’re floating and sometimes even tingly and numb. Gratitude, on the other hand, gently guides you back to yourself. When you take a moment to appreciate something with your senses, such as a smell, a sound, a texture, you become more grounded, helping you feel safe in your own skin again. The more you are in your mind and body, the more control you have over your thoughts and feelings.

4. Trains Your Brain to Slow Down

When you practise gratitude activities, you are slowing down, tuning in and noticing what’s right in front of you. This is also a mindfulness practice, as it narrows in your attention to silences the noise around you. It connects you with your senses, your surroundings and the emotions you are experiencing. And the more you strengthen your mindfulness, the more you’re going to experience those benefits that are specifically good for your mental health. 

5. Improves Your Quality of Sleep

We’ve all had those restless nights where your head hits the pillow and suddenly every anxious thought comes rushing in. This is actually the perfect time to start practising gratitude, as research shows that gratitude reduces the mental noise that often keeps us up at night. It helps shift your focus away from your remunerating thoughts and worries and shifts it towards things that make you feel safe, happy and secure.

Better yet, add gratitude exercises into your nightly routine and make it a bedtime habit, so you don’t have to resort to them because you can’t sleep—hopefully, you’ll already be sleeping. Try writing down three things you’re thankful for or journaling about your day.

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6. Increases Emotional Resilience

Life sucks sometimes—there’s really no better way to say it. It throws some curveballs and obstacles in our path at the most inopportune times sometimes and we can’t avoid that. But we can learn how to overcome them better, smarter and stronger.

When you practice gratitude, think of it as training your emotional muscles to bounce back when things get tough. It teaches you to hold space for both the difficult and the beautiful at the same time. That dual awareness is a sign of true emotional resilience. As you continue with your gratitude exercises over the weeks, months and years, you start to trust your ability to get through hard things.

Whether it’s your morning anti-anxiety herbal tea, your dog’s silly smile, or a movie that makes you giggle, these moments of gratitude give you strength. They remind you that there’s still good here and that you’re strong enough to keep going.

7. Strengthens Relationships

As you practice gratitude, you’ll likely find yourself showing appreciation for the people in your life, you strengthen your connection to them and the relationship naturally improves. This is especially healing for anyone who experiences anxiety and depression, which often makes us feel isolated or misunderstood.

Saying “thank you” to a friend or simply acknowledging someone’s kindness can reduce social anxiety and increase feelings of safety and support. And when you feel more connected, anxiety doesn’t hold as much power.

8. Boosts Self-Worth and Confidence

Whenever anxiety creeps in, it often brings self-doubt and limited beliefs along with it. Practising gratitude helps counter that by reminding you of your strengths, accomplishments, and the beautiful things in your life. It helps you recognize your own value—and not in a vain way, but in a grounded, affirming way. Like, “Hey mama, you got this”.

Whether you’re thankful for how you handled a tough situation or just happy that you showered today, these moments of self-recognition build your self confidence, strength, resilience, and all that good stuff. 

9. Reduces Stress and Eases Mental Health Symptoms like Anxiety and Depression

When you practise gratitude consistently, your stress levels naturally decrease because gratitude helps lower cortisol (your body’s main stress hormone), while increasing serotonin and dopamine (your body’s feel-good chemicals). These are the same ones that many antidepressants aim to increase, only you can get it entirely naturally. As a result, a gratitude practice is a gentle yet powerful addition to any mental health support plan. In fact, a study conducted by Berkley University showed that, by simply writing gratitude letters or in a gratitude journal, you can improve your mental health in as little as four weeks.

10. Boosts Feel-Good Brain Chemicals for Natural Mood Support

One of the most fascinating things about gratitude is how it works on a biological level. As mentioned earlier, your brain releases a wave of feel-good neurotransmitters, largely dopamine and serotonin. These are the same chemicals that help regulate mood, promote calm, and boost your overall mental health and emotional well-being.

Dopamine is often called the “reward chemical”. It’s what gives you that little lift when something good happens. Gratitude activates this system naturally, creating a sense of joy and motivation. Serotonin helps you feel balanced, secure, and content. And unlike quick-fix mood boosters, gratitude builds these effects over time through repeated practice.

So, the more you engage in gratitude, the more your brain starts to expect those feel-good moments. That means it becomes easier to access positivity, even on difficult days. In essence, gratitude doesn’t just shift your mindset—it physically shifts your brain chemistry in a way that supports anxiety relief, emotional regulation, and long-term mental wellness.

Easy Ways to Practise Gratitude

Integrating gratitude into your daily routine can be both simple and amazingly transformative. There are all kinds of practical methods to help you create and maintain a grateful mindset. Whether through gratitude journaling, mindful reflection, or expressing thanks to others, these gratitude exercises can help you find and focus on the positive aspects of life and enhance your mental health. Here are some effective and accessible ways to incorporate gratitude into your everyday life:

• Keep a Gratitude Journal
  Write down 3 things you’re grateful for daily and take a moment to reflect on each.
  Top Recommendation: Check out Silk and Sonder monthly journal subscriptions. 

• Express Thanks to Others
  Just say “thank you” through a note, call, or in person—small gestures build strong, uplifting connections.

• Mindful Reflection
  Spend a few quiet minutes appreciating simple moments like sunshine, a warm meal, or a kind word.

• Gratitude Meditation
  Focus on what you’re thankful for during meditation. Our readers get exclusive discounts on these mindfulness apps.

  • • Mindfulness App (Upgrade with our exclusive discount here)
    • Headspace (Receive a 14-day free trial here)
    • The Tapping Solution (Receive a 14-day free trial here)
    • Breathwork App (Get an entire month free here)

• Create a Gratitude Jar
  Write thankful thoughts on paper, place in a jar, and revisit them whenever anxiety flares up.

• Share Gratitude with Others
  Bring gratitude into conversations with family or friends during meals, bedtime, or group chats.

• Morning Gratitude Practice
  Before getting up, think of 3 things you’re grateful for. Add affirmation cards for gratitude for daily inspiration.

• Gratitude During Meals
  Pause before eating to appreciate your food and the people you’re sharing it with.

• Gratitude at Bedtime
  End the day by reciting 3 things you’re thankful for. It could be your comfy bed or weighted blanket, the sunshine or fresh air, or the roof over your head.

Practising Gratitude Helps You See Beyond Your Mental Illness

When all else fails and it feels like your day—or mental health—or dipping, remember to practise gratitude. It won’t magically erase anxiety, depression, or the challenges that come with mental illness but it will remind you that you are more than your struggles. It shifts your perspective, allowing you to see the beauty, strength, and small wins that still exist within your day. Gratitude also uses neuroplasticity to rewire brain patterns and yes, that also means erasing the unhelpful ones. Over time, this simple yet powerful practice can be the key to transforming your mental health.

FAQs about Gratitude

1. How does practising gratitude help with anxiety?
   Practising gratitude shifts your focus from negative to positive aspects of life, reducing stress and promoting a calm state of mind.
2. Can gratitude really change my brain chemistry?
   Yes, studies have shown that gratitude increases the production of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters linked to happiness and well-being.
3. How long does it take to see the benefits of practising gratitude?
   The benefits of practising gratitude can be felt almost immediately, but consistent practice over weeks or months leads to more significant and lasting changes.
4. Is keeping a gratitude journal effective?
   Yes, keeping a gratitude journal is an effective way to focus on positive experiences and reduce anxiety.
5. Can practising gratitude improve my relationships?
   Yes, expressing gratitude to others can strengthen relationships and create a supportive network, which is beneficial for managing anxiety.
6. Is it possible to practise gratitude during difficult times?
   Yes, practising gratitude during difficult times can help you find silver linings and maintain a positive outlook, aiding in resilience and stress management.

Gratitude Infographics