There is one thing that we all can take away from Thanksgiving and continue practicing in our everyday lives for as long as we can. And that is, of course, gratitude.

The practice has been growing in popularity in recent years and for a good reason. It’s because many studies dedicated to analyzing the effects of incorporating gratefulness into your life are reporting on great results.

The most straightforward discovery that researchers have made is that gratitude simply makes us feel better. When we stop taking things such as hot water and food on the table for granted, we tend to feel better about how we live and what we do have. We appreciate it more. That alone is a good enough reason for picking it up. But that’s not all.

Researchers have also proved that gratitude positively affects relationships. That goes for all of them because it enhances our overall empathy and improves our communication. In other words, when people show us that they care about us, we start to feel for them, too, strengthening our social bonds.

The study on gratitude in romantic relationships really breaks down how gratitude works in social situations. See, once our partners show appreciation to us, we feel more appreciative of them. In turn, we become more responsive to our partner’s needs and also feel more committed to the relationship. This, of course, works both ways, making a loving gratitude loop that never ends.

Believe it or not, gratitude can also affect our physical health. There are only a few limited studies out there, but the results so far are quite positive. For example, one study analyzed how a simple “thank you” can affect the well-being of an acute care nurse. 

The scientists found that hearing more words of gratitude from their patients and colleagues helped nurses feel more satisfied with their performance. This, in turn, also affected their sleep quality, headaches, and attempts to eat healthy.

If this still isn’t enough to persuade you to brush up on your gratitude skills, know that there’s yet another benefit—being grateful also makes you more patient. According to the study, this can impact your financial choices. That is, when you are grateful for what you already have, you are less likely to rush into dubious economic decisions.

Gratitude can also help you when you’re feeling down. Apparently, showing appreciation for what you have can make you feel more supported as well as lower your stress and depression levels. Furthermore, it can make you more resilient and increase the feeling that your life is meaningful.

So, let’s all continue to be thankful. Thankful for the food we had, the deals we’ve snatched, and the memes we’ve laughed at. Let’s hope next year’s celebrations are as fun if not better than this.