(LiveScience) Thanksgiving may be the only major American holiday focused on giving thanks for all of life’s blessings, but gratitude isn’t just a good excuse for chowing down on turkey and pumpkin pie; it’s also a way to promote good health and well-being, experts say.
Dozens of studies have found that gratitude can improve well-being, and can even help people curb depression and anxiety, improve cholesterol, and get better sleep, said Robert Emmons, a psychologist at the University of California, Davis, and author of “Gratitude Works! A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity” (Jossey-Bass, 2013).