New research suggests that practicing forgiveness benefits both mental and physical health, offering measurable improvements in well-being. A study published in the Nature Portfolio Journal (npj) Mental Health Research found that people with greater dispositional forgivingness—a tendency to forgive—reported better outcomes across multiple well-being measures about a year later.
Health benefits of forgiveness
According to study author Richard Cowden, PhD, a research scientist with Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program, “People who were more forgiving tended to do a little better across a range of outcomes about a year later,” including psychological well-being, purpose in life, relationship satisfaction, and hope. Earlier studies show that when people learn forgiveness skills through structured interventions, life improves in numerous ways. “Unresolved hurt can be emotionally taxing,” Cowden notes, and “forgiveness, when it is safe and appropriate, may help loosen some of that burden.” Forgiveness interventions reduce negative effects of stress hormones and free people to live fuller lives. In a 2024 study in BMJ Public Health, people instructed to practice forgiveness using workbooks reported less anxiety and depression symptoms a few weeks later than control groups. A study by Fred Luskin from the early 2000s found that Protestants and Catholics who had lost a family member in Northern Ireland violence and received forgiveness training experienced a 40% decline in depression symptoms.
Neurological and relational impacts
Brain imaging studies show powerful and fast-acting effects when letting go of an offense. According to a 2020 study review in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, forgiving activates pathways that improve resilience and social bonds, essentially building a personal buffer against life’s hardships. In relationships, forgiveness benefits the partnership as a whole. Fred Luskin, PhD, director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects, describes forgiveness as “like WD-40 for the relationship.”
Learning to forgive
While some people forgive more easily than others, forgiveness is a learnable skill. Luskin notes that “forgiveness often unfolds gradually, rather than all at once” and can be built “like a muscle” through practice. He recommends four steps: calm yourself using breathing and visualization, repeat a mantra that frames the situation, regularly count your blessings to retrain negativity bias, and shift your perspective from victim to hero by recognizing you’re forgiving for your own well-being. Importantly, forgiveness and reconciliation are distinct; people may decide that distance or limited contact is appropriate while still releasing damaging resentment.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.rd.com/article/forgiveness-benefits/