How Gratitude Rewires Your Brain — And Why Drawing It Makes It Even Stronger

I used to think gratitude was a bit... hm, fluffy.
You know, those forced “What are you grateful for?” lists.

But everything changed when I started drawing my gratitude (!).

I’m not talking about perfectly illustrated notebook pages. I mean simple circles, lines, shapes.
Sometimes I coloured them, sometimes I didn’t — but the process made gratitude feel more meaningful.

And here’s what surprised me: I felt different.
My thoughts slowed down. My body softened. I smiled — genuinely.
And as someone who’s been diving into neuroscience for years, I knew something big was happening in my brain.

Turns out, it only takes a few minutes a day for those changes to begin.   

How Little Is Enough? 

Let’s bust a myth: you don’t need to meditate for an hour or write endless gratitude lists to rewire your brain.

Studies show that just 15 minutes of gratitude journaling a day, five times a week for six weeks, can significantly improve your mental health, boost optimism, and even improve physical well-being

(Source: UCLA Health).

Another study from Dr. Bryan Sexton at Duke University found that writing down just three good things every night for only 15 days led to reduced burnout and improved sleep — and the benefits lasted up to a year

(Source: LMH Health).

So yes — just a few minutes of real, focused gratitude can make a long-term impact on your nervous system and how you experience life.

What Happens to Your Brain When You Practice Gratitude? 

1. You boost your dopamine and serotonin 

These are your brain’s natural feel-good chemicals. Gratitude increases their production, lifting your mood, calming anxiety, and helping you feel more content.

2. You grow stronger emotional regulation 

Gratitude lights up the medial prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, parts of your brain that help you empathize, regulate emotions, and make better decisions

(Source: Dr. Glenn Fox, University of Southern California).

3. You raise your oxytocin levels 

Gratitude increases this powerful bonding hormone, helping you feel more connected to others and building stronger relationships

(Source: Dr. Paul Zak, Claremont Graduate University).

4. You lower your cortisol 

Two weeks of gratitude practice is enough to reduce cortisol — your body’s main stress hormone — and calm your amygdala, which handles fear and emotional reactivity

(Source: Dr. Alex Wood, University of Manchester).

5. You sleep better and reset your body clock 

Gratitude activates your hypothalamus, supporting better sleep cycles, appetite regulation, and even metabolism

(Source: Dr. Robert Emmons, University of California, Davis).

But Why Drawing? 

Writing is powerful. But drawing? Drawing takes it to the NEXT level.

Here’s what happens when you draw your gratitude:

 • You activate both sides of the brain 

The left side handles words and logic. The right side handles visuals and emotion. Drawing connects both — creating deeper integration in your brain.

 • You make emotions tangible 

What was just a fleeting thought — “I’m thankful for my dog” — becomes a circle, a line, a swirl of colour. Your mind begins to SEE your joy.

 • You slow down and enter flow 

When you draw, your nervous system settles. You breathe more deeply. You become present. And that’s when your brain is most open to change.

I recorded a short Gratitude Drawing Tutorial for You:  

Final Thoughts 

Your brain isn’t fixed. Your thoughts aren’t stuck. With just a few minutes of focused gratitude — especially through drawing — you can start to reshape the way you feel, think, and respond to the world.

Every line you draw becomes a message to your nervous system: You’re safe. You’re supported. You’re loved. 

So go draw your gratitude. Even for five minutes. Even on the back of a receipt. Even if all you can think of is “I’m grateful for my cup of tea.” That’s enough.

Because that’s how transformation starts — not with big, sweeping changes, but with tiny acts of awareness repeated over time.

Want to Keep Going? 

We do this kind of thing all the time in my Neuro Arts Membership. You don’t need to be “creative” — you just need to show up with a pencils and an open heart. Come join us.

You’ll be surprised by how much can change — on paper, and in your life.

⸻

Sources & Further Reading 

 • The Neuroscience of Gratitude – Positive Psychology

 • Christina Costa’s TED Talk: How Gratitude Rewires Your Brain

 • Health Benefits of Gratitude – UCLA Health

 • Practicing Gratitude Reduces Burnout – LMH Health

 • Mindful Art and Gratitude – arXiv.org