The month of November is the time of the year we bring into focus the giving of thanks through our historical and cultural celebration of Thanksgiving. Giving thanks frequently can turn into a mindset of gratitude. More and more we hear of the “science of gratitude” with social scientists pointing to an ever-growing body of evidence showing that actively practicing gratitude has measurable health benefits. Being grateful affects our hormones, neural pathways, and can influence our behaviors and more.

According to the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California-Berkeley, gratitude is the “social glue” to building and nurturing strong relationships.  Robert Waldinger and Marc Schultz authors of The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, form the Harvard Study of Adult Development which followed the lives of two generations of individuals of the same families for more than eighty years finds that it is the quality of our relationships that keep us healthy and happy.

It seems being more aware of the benefits we receive in life over the barriers we face enhances our positive feelings including optimism and happiness. This practice is known as strengthening our “positive recall”. Exercising the cognitive muscle of identifying the good in ourselves, others, and our experiences even when times are tough helps our mental, emotional, physical and social health and gives us the confidence to weather the storm of life.

Interested in the science? Access hundreds of gratitude focused science publications on PubMed. Follow the links on our website under the tab “Digital Services”. Under that tab you can click on “Databases”. Choose the category of Science and Technology. Many publications are available in full text or downloadable PDF’s. Otherwise, you’ll almost always have access to Cliffs Notes of scientific papers, the abstract. And there is nothing wrong with that!

Examples of titles in the scientific literature available on PubMed are:

The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Gratitude expressions improve teammates' cardiovascular stress responses.

Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: A randomized clinical trial.

Below are titles of books you can find here at the library that explore how gratitude can change lives.

The Good Life: Lessons from the Worlds’ Longest Scientific Study of Happiness- by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz

This is the first book which compiles 80 years of data from the Harvard Study of Adult Development mentioned above. Robert Waldinger, MD is professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Marc Schulz, PhD is the Associate Director of the Study. This book is a must-read for those interested in proven indicators for health and happiness.

Living Life as a Thank You – Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons

This little guide is chock-full of inspirational quotes and guided opportunities to practice gratitude.  Some chapters include “Ways to Stay Thankful in Difficult Times,” “Gratitude as a Spiritual Practice,” and “Putting Gratitude into Practice”.

The Gratitude Diaries – Janice Kaplan

Kaplan, a former journalist, embarks on a personal project to find gratitude in her life experiences over the course of twelve months. She turns to philosophers, psychologists, academics other experts in their fields to combine her experiences with what her research reveals.