Can saying “thank you” really change how your body feels? More than you might think.
Gratitude often gets filed under “nice to have,” something we talk about once a year over turkey. But a growing body of research suggests that a regular gratitude practice is good for more than your mood. It can support your whole nervous system.
Your Nervous System Has Two Modes
Think of your nervous system as having a gas pedal and a brake.
The gas pedal (sympathetic mode) is fight or flight. This is your go-go-go mode. Your heart rate rises, breathing gets shallow, muscles tense, and digestion and repair go on hold. You are ready to get stuff done in the outside world but everything internal is on pause.
The brake (parasympathetic mode) is rest and digest. Your heart rate slows, your breath deepens, and your body can digest, sleep and heal. This is your “Me time”. It’s where you body is able to get some of it’s projects done and it’s vital to keeping the gas pedal functional.
Both are essential. The problem is that modern life, and holiday season especially, keeps many of us pressing the gas all day long. Let’s face it, we’ve all seen gas prices these days and that’s just not sustainable (even when the gas is metaphorical).
Where Gratitude Comes In
Stress narrows our focus to what’s wrong, what’s missing and what still needs to get done. Gratitude gently shifts that focus to what’s already good, and your body notices the difference. As they say, it’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got.
Research has linked regular gratitude practice with:
Better sleep: People who end the day with grateful thoughts tend to fall asleep faster and sleep better.
Improved mood and resilience: In well-known studies, people who wrote down things they were grateful for each week felt more optimistic and reported fewer physical complaints.
A calmer stress response: Feelings of appreciation are associated with steadier heart rhythms and a shift toward rest-and-digest mode.
Gratitude won’t erase stress, but it gives your nervous system a regular, reliable signal that it’s safe to soften.
3 Simple Gratitude Practices to Start Tonight
1. Three Good Things
Before bed, write down three things that went well today and why. Keep them small: a good cup of coffee, a kind text, a parking spot right up front. The writing down part is more important than you might think. Writing makes things more real to our brains. We hold on to the information more, plus it can be something to go back to later on days that your maybe not so grateful for.
2. Breathe and Thank
Like Tatum always says, “Don’t forget to breathe!” Take a slow breath in, and on a long exhale, silently name one thing you’re grateful for. Repeat five times. Long exhales on their own help tap the brake. This is an excellent one to keep in your back pocket for those moments through out the day when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Saying 5 gratefuls helps you ground and reset.
3. Thank Your Body
Take time to connect with your body whether you’re at a class or at home. Place a hand on your heart and thank your body for one thing it did today, like carrying the groceries, hugging someone you love, or getting you through a long shift. Your body is going to be with you through your whole life. Taking care of it & appreciating it go a long way towards making it last.
Let Us Help You Hit the Brake
Some seasons, a practice at home isn’t quite enough, and your body needs hands-on help to remember how to relax. That’s where we come in.
This month’s Unclench & Give Thanks was designed with gratitude at its heart. It combines body bodywork, gentle cranial work, jaw release when needed, and energy work to calm your nervous system from the top down. You’ll also take home a gratitude ritual kit to keep the practice going all season. Book your November special through the “Specials” sections on the booking widget.
Want to go deeper? Join Tiffney and Reiki Master Bobbi Peahu for our Healing Heart Workshop on Sunday, November 15, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. It’s an intimate healing circle followed by a restorative sound bath, and space is limited to [8] guests.
Reserve your spot through the “classes” section of the booking widget.
We’re proudly serving Mesa, Tempe, Chandler and the East Valley.
