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The reverse is probably also true: deciding to laze on the couch for one afternoon, no problem, but lazing on the couch every afternoon, might lead to bigger problems.

I think we would all agree that a daily practice for our physical body will undoubtedly show a result - for better or worse, we become what we repeatedly do.

But do we believe the same is possible for our mental health? One practice which is getting more positive attention is a ‘gratitude practice’. This ritual of stopping to notice things in your life to be thankful for, traditionally fell to yogis and new age philosophers, but neuroscientists have stepped in to give sceptics the evidence they need to commit to this mind altering, life changing habit. 

Stanford professor and neuroscientist, Dr Andrew Huberman, explains, “Gratitude is not just a social construct, it’s a real neurobiological phenomenon that is powerful for bringing a deepened sense of well-being, connectedness and enhancing our relationship to self, others and all things.”

When we are in constant pursuit and struggling only focused on an end goal, or worse, the “I’ll be happy when…” goal,  we are using our dopamine and adrenalin systems. Practising being authentically grateful produces serotonin, and this system allows your dopamine to reset, allowing you to get back in the game for longer.

It is helpful here to know what these neuromodulators, or chemical messengers are:

Very simply put, dopamine is associated with our reward system and how we feel pleasure. It helps to keep us motivated and on task. The release is regulated by the central nervous system, but as with all systems, it is made more effective when it is kept in balance.

When serotonin is released into our system, it brings about feelings of well-being and, at high levels, we feel a sense of bliss. It also tends to trigger a feeling that we have enough in our immediate environment. Amazingly this further has positive effects on our immune system and neural repair.

As Professor Huberman puts it, “Gratitude sounds like complacency, and people fear that they’re not going to be persistent. But serotonin resets dopamine, which puts you back in the fight and allows you to fight longer and further”.

Gratitude is subjective, and so it is about recognising what exists for you, in your life that you are grateful for, however small these things are. Being aware, acknowledging them, and considering why this is something meaningful for you, does have an effect on the serotonin system.

Robert Emmons, Psychologist, author and professor, describes gratitude as having two parts “First, 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, “we recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves. We acknowledge that other people gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives.”

So how does one do the practice? Here are some simple ways to make gratitude part of your day:

 -   Keep a gratitude journal and add to it daily. By thinking about ordinary moments that you are thankful for, it brings the potential to interweave gratitude into the way you experience life.

 -   Verbally express gratitude to people in your life. Saying thanks, and adding why it is meaningful can help strengthen relationships. For example, if you thanked someone for making you a morning cup of coffee, you could add that it makes you feel special/loved/cared for.

-   Set a random time reminder to help you form a habit of gratitude, when it goes off, look around you, notice what is right in front of you that you can be grateful for - in that exact moment.

-   Meditate with a gratitude list and give thanks for your good fortune. For example, the mantra: “I am grateful for the here and now” slows us down and brings us an appreciation for the present moment.

-   Think outside the box. Look creatively and curiously at situations or people where you hadn’t thought to be grateful before. This might bring a richness and unexpected value to an old dynamic.

-   Be thankful when you make a mistake, as it provides an opportunity to grow.

While you decide whether or not this is for you, it might be worth considering if you aren’t practising gratitude, then what are you practising? And what is the compound effect of this on your mental well-being.

Bringing in a habit where you notice the good in your life, is not to say there isn’t any bad, rather it highlights that your life isn’t all one thing. But it is helpful to remember that any given moment, is… given, and isn’t that enough to be grateful for?

Thank you for reading.