It's Thanksgiving eve — time to get the gratitude flowing. Experts in the field of gratitude research have found that giving thanks does more than remind you of what you already have; it can also help you lead a healthier life.

Studies have shown that grateful people have greater vitality and less stress and in a study of college students, those who kept a “gratitude journal” were generally more healthy and optimistic than those who did not.

Anyone can be grateful, not just those with especially good luck. “To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great,” says Robert Emmons [1] of the University of California at Davis, a psychologist and leading researcher in the study of gratitude. “It just means we are aware of our blessings. If you only think about your disappointments and unsatisfied wants, you may be prone to unhappiness. If you’re fully aware of your disappointments but at the same time thankful for the good that has happened and for your chance to live, you may show higher indices of well-being.”

Learn more about Emmons' gratitude research [2] and be sure to have a happy Thanksgiving.

[via Beliefnet [3]]