The Science of Gratitude

At AirMD, an environmental testing company specializing in indoor air quality assessments, we pride ourselves on our science-backed approach. So, as Thanksgiving approaches, we were intrigued to find scientific research on gratitude.

What Is Gratitude?

Robert Emmons, who has been studying the effects of gratitude on physical health, psychological well-being and on our relationships with others, is perhaps the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude. He is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and the founding editor-in-chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology. He is also the author of a number books, including Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, Emmons argues that gratitude has two key components, which he describes in a Greater Good essay, “Why Gratitude Is Good.” “First,” he writes, “it’s an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received.”

In the second part of gratitude, he explains, “we recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves. … We acknowledge that other people—or even higher powers, if you’re of a spiritual mindset—gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives.”

The Benefits of Gratitude

Emmons and his colleagues have studied more than a thousand people of various ages and found that people who practice gratitude consistently (through the use of a gratitude journal or some other practice) report a host of benefits, including:

Physical Benefits

• Stronger immune systems
• Less bothered by aches and pains
• Lower blood pressure
• Exercise more and take better care of their health
• Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking

Psychological Benefits

• Higher levels of positive emotions
• More alert, alive, and awake
• More joy and pleasure
• More optimism and happiness

Social Benefits

• More helpful, generous, and compassionate
• More forgiving
• More outgoing
• Feel less lonely and isolated

If you put together AirMD’s scientific expertise in environmental testing and the benefits associated with gratitude, you could be on the way to your family’s most peaceful holiday gathering ever! If you would like to “clear the air” before everyone arrives, call us at 1-888-GO AIRMD (1-888-462-4763) and ask about having an indoor air test, home allergen test, mold assessment or any of the other environmental testing services our company provides.