Thanksgiving, as its name attests, is a time for us to be grateful for the things we have—whether it’s a loving family and friends, health, material wealth, a decent job or good child care to make our juggles go more smoothly.But giving thanks isn’t just a custom that we should do once a year as our families gather around a turkey. In today’s Health Journal column, Melinda Beck explains how giving thanks actually improves our mental and physical health—and that of our kids—and should be incorporated regularly into our lives.Recent studies have shown that adults who often feel grateful are more energetic, optimistic, happier and have more social connections than those who do not. What’s more, grateful people earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections, Beck writes. Meanwhile, kids who regularly give thanks tend to be less materialistic, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches and feel more satisfied with their friends, families and schools than those who don’t, Beck adds.