22/06/2023
The simple act of gratitude journaling can have a profoundly positive impact on our health and wellbeing. And if you’re experiencing or pain it’s something you can use to great effect.
A 2019 study on 150 adults with arthritis found that practising gratitude reduced pain intensity, fear of movement and pain anxiety, while improving pain self-efficacy (the confidence to carry out certain activities despite pain).
A separate study also found that participants who wrote down three things they were grateful for each day reported decreased pain, intensity and fatigue, as well as improved sleep quality.
When it comes to stress, numerous studies have shown that gratitude journaling helps to decrease stress and anxiety levels, calm negative emotions and even increase feelings of life satisfaction.
So how do you do it? Here are some guidelines to get started.
• Do it every day. Make it something you look forward to by sitting in a comfortable chair, making your favourite drink or listening to uplifting music
• Focus on three or four things each day and explore them in depth, rather than writing down lots of smaller things
• Be as specific as possible – ie not ‘my family’ but something like ‘the children making dinner together’
• Think about the unexpected rather than everyday events – bumping into a friend or walking a mile more than you usually do
• Things that make your pain or stress feel better: your dog, your special pillow or heat lamp
• Look for the good in not-so-good moments; think about what you’ve gained or still have rather than what you've lost. For instance, if a pain flare-up means you have to cut short a night out, you can be grateful that you still managed to get out, or that you got to go home and finish your book or caught up on some sleep.