Reducing Stress

SEATTLE – 'Tis the season to give thanks, but recent studies show your health improves if you give thanks daily year round.

You can't tell by looking at her, but Doris Kramer has every reason to be stressed: A medical condition that requires coils in her body, a divorce, the challenge of raising her children alone.

"I've had sometimes had three jobs at once to take care of my daughters," she said.

Yet, she's grateful for all that's good in her life.

"I'm grateful to have two wonderful daughters. I'm grateful I have the job I have because I love working with children," she said.

She even has a note taped to her bathroom mirror reminding her to give thanks each day. Researchers say her "attitude of gratitude" actually chases the stress away.

"It is really physiologically impossible to experience gratitude and stress at the same time," said Kathleen Hall, a stress researcher.

Hall says new research shows gratitude changes the body.

"There's actually a physiological response and a psychological response when people are grateful," Hall said. "They have more energy. They're more enthusiastic. They're more optimistic."

One recent study proves gratitude can help protect you from depression.

"There's an energy that moves from the brain to the heart. With that is endorphins, dopamine, the things in the physiology in the body changes," she said.

Hall suggests starting each day by giving thanks, like Doris does, or do what one of her clients does: "He actually sets the alarm on his blackberry so three times day it goes off and he stops-wherever he is," Hall said. "He stops, takes a deep breath and thinks of something he's grateful for. He says it's really changed his life."

Or keep a diary, listing little things throughout the day. Doris says it's easier than you think to say 'see ya' to the stress.

"There's so many things that could be happening to you," she said. "Just look at the bright side."

Hall says it's easier for some people to feel grateful than others, based on the way they were raised or actual personalities. But, she says being grateful is something that can be taught as a discipline or habit, and anyone can learn.

One more benefit: According to another study, people who feel grateful are also more likely to feel loved.