Your Brain on Gratitude: Why It's Both Powerful and Painful

As we travel through the iconic week of Thanksgiving, there will be plenty of people reminding us to count our blessings. But, ever catch yourself rolling your eyes at someone suggesting you “just be grateful”?

You’re not alone.

While gratitude might sound like a fluffy self-help concept, neuroscience reveals it’s actually a powerful brain hack – one that our ancient minds sometimes fight tooth and nail.

Let’s dive into why gratitude is both your brain’s best friend and its awkward acquaintance.

The Neuroscience Behind the “Attitude of Gratitude”

Here’s something fascinating:

When researchers studied gratitude in the brain, they discovered it activates neural networks tied to both pleasure and pain relief. Think of it as a natural mood enhancer that doesn’t require a prescription.

In groundbreaking research by Dr. Glenn Fox at USC, participants imagining scenarios of receiving help – even in dire circumstances like Holocaust survival stories – showed increased activity in brain regions associated with:

• Understanding others’ perspectives

• Emotional regulation

• Stress relief

• Social bonding

Perhaps most remarkably, practicing gratitude can actually reshape your brain through neuroplasticity, creating stronger neural pathways for positive thinking.

Why We Resist The Good Stuff

But if gratitude is so beneficial, why do we often resist it like a cat avoiding a bath? Research reveals some fascinating psychological barriers:

1. Your Ancient Brain’s Negativity Bias

Remember, our brains evolved to spot threats, not count blessings. That saber-toothed tiger spotting skill is still with us (like our eye-rolling inner teen), making us naturally more attuned to what’s wrong than what’s right.

1. The Vulnerability Factor

Being grateful means acknowledging that we’ve received help or good fortune, which can feel uncomfortably vulnerable for many of us.

1. The “Toxic Positivity” Pushback

Sometimes gratitude can feel like it’s dismissing real problems or suffering. It’s not about denying difficulties – it’s about expanding your awareness to include the good alongside the challenging.

The Brain-Changing Challenge

Here’s my challenge to you:

Instead of dismissing gratitude as another self-help platitude, try approaching it as a brain training experiment.

Start small – notice one thing each day that makes your life a bit better, easier, or more interesting.

Remember, you’re not denying life’s difficulties; you’re simply widening your lens to capture more of the complete picture. Your brain will thank you with better sleep, reduced stress, and even improved cardiovascular health.

After all, as my research consistently shows, what we focus on grows stronger neural pathways. Why not build some that lead to greater resilience and well-being?

The choice is yours – but your brain is quietly hoping you’ll take the gratitude challenge.

“Gratitude doesn’t change the scenery. It merely washes clean the glass you look through, so you can clearly see the colors.” -Richelle E. Goodrich

(I am grateful for YOU, eye-rolls, or not!)

Sources

1. https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/

2. https://www.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/your-brain-when-you-give-and-practice-gratitude

3. https://www.calm.com/blog/the-science-of-gratitude

4. https://possibilitiesforchange.org/the-impact-of-gratitude-on-mental-health/

5. https://www.evidencebasedmentoring.org/the-science-of-gratitude-new-findings-and-practical-lessons-for-mentoring/

6. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude

7. https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2021/11/practicing-gratitude-better-health-and-well-being

8. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/mental-health-and-wellbeing/thankfulness-how-gratitude-can-help-your-health

9. https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/12/health/gratitude-benefits-longer-life-wellness

10. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/can-expressing-gratitude-improve-health

11. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/health-matters/gratitude-health-mental

12. https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/blog/brain-wellness-lifestyle/cutivating-gratitude-for-brain-health-a-powerful-mindset/

13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10393216/

14. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3010965/

15. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_is_gratitude_so_hard_for_some_people

16. https://ineverything.com/2024/03/18/3-reasons-a-gratefulness-practice-is-difficult/

17. https://grateful.org/resource/the-dark-side-of-focusing-on-gratitude/

18. https://www.lynnhord.com/resisting-gratitude/

19. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SearchEnglish/posts/9093078367425110/

20. https://centerforbrainhealth.org/article/focus-on-gratitude-to-build-brain-health