Mind & Mood
Gratitude linked to longer life and fewer heart-related deaths
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Cultivating gratitude may help older women live longer, a new study shows. The findings, published July 3, 2024, in JAMA Psychiatry, suggest that most of this benefit comes from preventing deaths from heart disease.
The study included more than 49,000 nurses with an average age of 79 who completed a six-question gratitude test. Three years later, nearly 10% had died, most commonly of heart disease. Those with the highest levels of gratitude had a 9% lower risk of dying in that period than those in with the lowest levels.
Writing down a few small things you're grateful for — an uplifting conversation, a beautiful view, a treasured possession — is a popular way to foster gratitude. For more information, see "How positive psychology can help you cultivate better heart health" in the June 2023 Heart Letter.
Image: © Daniel Grill/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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