The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice

Andrew Huberman introduces the topic of gratitude, emphasizing its significance during the Thanksgiving holiday and its profound impact on mental and physical health. He discusses the misconceptions about effective gratitude practices and hints at the neuroimaging and physiological data that point to a different approach to reaping the benefits of gratitude for health.

The first sponsor, ROKA, is highlighted for producing high-quality eyeglasses and sunglasses. Huberman, with his background in neurobiology and ophthalmology, endorses ROKA's products for their ability to maintain visual clarity across various lighting conditions and their lightweight, non-slip design, suitable for an active lifestyle.

Inside Tracker is introduced as a platform that analyzes blood and DNA data to provide personalized nutrition insights. Huberman stresses the importance of regular blood work for understanding health factors and mentions the advantage of Inside Tracker's user-friendly dashboard and its InnerAge test for assessing biological age.

Magic Spoon cereal is presented as a zero sugar, grain-free, keto-friendly snack. Huberman shares his personal eating plan and how Magic Spoon fits into his low-carbohydrate diet, praising its taste and nutritional content, which includes high protein and low net carbs.

The discussion delves into the various aspects of mental and physical health that benefit from gratitude practices. Huberman cites studies showing the positive, long-lasting effects on well-being, and the potential for gratitude to provide resilience against trauma by altering fear and defense networks in the brain.

Gratitude is established as a pro-social behavior that benefits not just personal relationships but also social interactions across different contexts. Huberman explains how pro-social behaviors activate specific neural circuits associated with positive social interactions and how they contrast with defensive behaviors.

Huberman contrasts the modern understanding of gratitude with Freud's perspective, which suggested that unhappiness is more easily experienced due to constitutional restrictions. He discusses the shift from Freud's era to the emergence of positive psychology and the recognition of neural circuits associated with happiness and pro-social behaviors.

The balance between pro-social and defensive neural circuits is explored, with Huberman using the visual system's response to light and dark as an analogy. He suggests that while defensive circuits might be more robust, gratitude can act as a potent counterbalance, tipping the scales towards positive feelings.

Huberman discusses the role of neuromodulators like serotonin in gratitude and pro-social behaviors. He explains how serotonin, released from the raphe nucleus, enhances the activity of neural circuits that promote approach behaviors and engagement with positive experiences.

The medial prefrontal cortex's role in setting the context of experiences is described. Huberman illustrates how this brain region can influence the interpretation of experiences, such as cold exposure, to either positive or negative health effects based on motivation and desire.

Huberman challenges the common gratitude practice of listing things one is grateful for, stating that it is not the most effective method for shifting neural circuitry. He suggests that traditional practices may not deeply engage the autonomic nervous system or effectively activate pro-social neural networks.

Receiving gratitude is revealed as a more potent activator of pro-social neural networks than giving gratitude. Huberman discusses a study involving listening to a letter of gratitude and its effects on prefrontal activation, emphasizing the importance of genuine expressions of gratitude.

The power of narrative in gratitude practices is explored, with Huberman explaining how stories of others receiving help can activate the neural circuits associated with gratitude. He highlights the importance of empathy and theory of mind in experiencing the benefits of gratitude through narratives.

Huberman outlines the components of an effective gratitude practice based on scientific findings. He emphasizes the importance of a narrative, genuine expressions of gratitude, and the potential use of supplements like Kanna to enhance the experience. He also provides guidance on the frequency and duration of gratitude practices for optimal benefits.

The discussion concludes with a summary of gratitude's impact on neural circuits, inflammation, immune function, and overall physiology. Huberman reiterates the importance of a gratitude practice for health and well-being, and he provides information on how to obtain high-quality supplements from Thorne.