Power of forgiveness for better health

The three best words for you to say are, “I forgive you!”. Say it now and say it loud.

Forgiveness frees your mind, liberates your heart, and benefits your body. Not only does the receiver feel free of guilt, but the forgiver relieves many strings. Now, even science says that forgiveness brings good health!

Forgiveness unfurls oodles of HEALTH benefits. And many research studies support this claim.

Unresolved conflict can complicate your health.

Holding on to grudges shows signs of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Long subdued anger, grudge, and resentment lead to hypertension! For some, it can even create anxiety, insomnia and depression. Research also claims that holding on to anger can affect the heart. 

Also Read: 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Forgiveness

Why letting go is essential for your health?

These bitter feelings create stress that triggers a fight-or-flight mode. This changes the entire dynamics of your body, including your heart rate, blood pressure, and immune response. 

All these changes spike the risk of depression, heart disease, and diabetes. Forgiveness can bring calm to this storm. It is the ultimate prevention!

What is forgiveness?

Forgiveness is more than saying, ‘I forgive you.’ It is freeing your heart from hurtful feelings, letting go of that piercing, painful feeling for your own sake. Making peace and moving on is forgiving in the true sense.

Why do people fail to forgive?

Sometimes, the hurtful feelings remain unaddressed. They bubble under the blanket!

Sometimes, we walk away from that person or event but carry the weight within.

Sometimes, our closest ones spew the venom, and the poison stays deep within.

Different people have different explanations. But rising above and moving ahead is the only way to get past it!

Forgiveness brings good health.

A 54-year-old patient suffering from gastritis found relief in forgiveness. The resentment he held on to for a property feud distressed his health. Even after multiple treatments, his digestion did not improve. 

A personal counselling session for anxiety and depression lets those feelings pour out! His heartfelt light and body are better. He followed simple healthy practices like mindful eating and Yoga Nidra, and the results were remarkable.

Another instance was of a couple where the wife had a hard time dealing with her husband’s infidelity issues. After the divorce, she walked out with her son. She walked out but could not move on. 

The unanswered questions haunted her. She suffered from anxiety, insomnia, stress, and depression. Before she knew she walked away from her husband and sanity!

One day, she called her husband and asked him what went wrong. A mature discussion between two adults was all it took for her to restore happiness. She forgave her husband and moved ahead in her life!

The research speaks that forgiveness brings good health

Letting go is not only good for your soul; it is also a blessing for your body.

Research links forgiveness with better sleep. It endows a healthy heart and ensures a lowered rate of depression. It is also linked to stronger immunity!

One study quoted that more forgiving people enjoy better health. They suffer from less pain and are less vulnerable to chronic illness. Their overall mortality rates are also lower. 

One of the most well-known studies on the health benefits of forgiveness was conducted by researchers at Harvard University. The study found that individuals who reported higher levels of forgiveness had better physical health, including lower blood pressure and improved heart rate variability. Additionally, individuals who forgave others also reported better mental health outcomes, including reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The study suggested that forgiveness may benefit health by reducing stress and negative emotions, which are known to adversely affect physical and mental health. This study highlights the importance of forgiveness in promoting overall well-being and suggests that it may have significant health benefits.

It is important to note that this study is just one of many on the subject, and further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between forgiveness and health. However, this study proves that forgiveness can be valuable in promoting health and well-being.

A clinical study

A clinical study observed that when people remembered their hurtful past, their blood pressure increased, and their heart rate spiked. They were less in control of their mind and body. When the same people practised forgiveness, their physical status changed. Their stress was reduced, and their bodies calmed. 

5 Ways Forgiveness Brings Good Health

Forgiveness unfurls bounteous rewards. It is a boon for your physical and mental health. It reduces heart attack risk, improves cholesterol levels, and enhances sleep. Forgiveness may also help reduce pain, blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and stress. 

Forgive for a healthy heart. 

Research shows that forgiveness calms anxious anger. The heart rate stabilizes, and blood pressure drops, normalizing all the processes in the body. 

Forgive to gain strong immunity.

A study of forgiveness was conducted on people living with HIV. Results showed that forgiveness endowed positive changes in their immune status.

Forgive to relieve the stress.

Repeatedly resurfacing the feelings of fear, pain, and anger stirs your stress levels. Also, the incapability of going back in time and changing things from the past can spur your stress level. Forgiveness puts an end to this cycle of stress and chronic ailments.

Forgive to defeat depression.

Depression is a real threat. And the first step to fight depression is forgiveness. Let go of the dark, haunting feelings. Forgive the deed and the doer. If you cannot make peace with your past, don’t shy away from professional counselling. 

Forgive to relieve your anxiety. 

Forgiveness is not only about others; it is also about forgiving yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, some big and some small. But to err is human. So, forgive yourself and forgive others. It will relieve your anxiety and insomnia. 

5 Fabulous Steps to Forgiveness

Acknowledge your inner feelings.

Forgiveness should be unconditional. Forgive even if the other person is not sorry! It feels good to be the smarter one.

Forgive for your own sake. Forgiveness brings oodles of health benefits. It’s worth the deal!

Be the writer of your story. Don’t let someone else live in your mind and rule your heart. 

Never lock your bubbling feelings. Take it out and get over it!

The Forgiveness Economy

Imagine if we valued forgiveness as much as we valued productivity or innovation. What would a forgiveness-centered economy look like?

We might see

1. Companies offering “forgiveness leave” for employees to work through personal conflicts

2. Health insurance plans covering forgiveness therapy

3. Schools integrating forgiveness skills into their curriculum

4. Conflict resolution centres in every community, focused on restorative justice and forgiveness

It might sound more plausible than it might sound. Some forward-thinking organizations are already incorporating forgiveness practices into their culture.

Conclusion

Studies claim that forgiveness has ample health benefits, and research proves it! From strengthening your immunity to maintaining your sanity, forgiveness is the cure. It normalizes your heart rate, controls your blood pressure, drops your anxiety levels, suppresses your stress meter, enhances your life span, and ensures general good health!!!