Keeping a journal has a range of benefits for both physical and mental health, all backed by science. Here’s how to make it part of your daily practice.
When you were at school, there’s a good chance that you kept a diary – a place to record your thoughts and feelings. As we transition into adulthood, though, many of us leave this habit behind. But perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to turn the page on personal writing.
As it turns out, there’s a body of evidence suggesting that journalling – the act of recording our thoughts and feelings – comes with a raft of mental and physical health benefits.
What does it mean exactly?
When we reference journalling, we’re describing ‘expressive writing’. That is, a style of writing that intends to capture your thoughts and feelings about an experience or set of experiences; expressive writing is now commonly used as part of therapy treatment.
The healing powers of writing (as opposed to typing)
Keeping a journal helps you process things and acknowledge emotions, particularly about stressful or traumatic events. By organising thoughts and feelings, you can ‘lighten the load’ on your brain. This can lead to better sleep which, in turn, comes with a whole host of benefits. The science bears this out, too. One 2018 study showed that writing about your emotions for just 15 minutes, a few times a week, reduced symptoms in participants with elevated anxiety.
The benefits aren’t just limited to the mind, either. In another study patients suffering from arthritis and asthma were asked to write about the most stressful event they’d experienced, while a control group wrote about an emotionally neutral topic. The results showed 47 per cent of the first group experienced a clinically significant reduction in their symptoms after four months, while only 24 per cent of the control group saw a similar improvement.
So, if the science says journalling is an effective way to boost mental and physical health, how can you best make it part of your routine?
Finding your best way
Adherence is the key to success in all things. So looking trialing a few different methods and seeking out the one that will work for you is they way forward. This will help your adherence and you will then be likely to receive the benefits from that consistent time journalling.
When? where?
Again there is no right or wrong you have to find what best works for you. Some like to start the day with it and others like to reflect on the day that was so journal at the end of the day – a nice way to cap off the day and get thoughts down on paper before heading to bed. Once you work out what time fits your lifestyle best, try to work it into your routine.
A quiet place!
This can be the tricky bit in a busy household but finding a time and a place where you can take yourself off so you can journal without interruption is going to help your routine stick a sticky routine if key to consistency. Switch off phones or at least notifications so that you have your uninterrupted bliss time for writing your thoughts.
Let the words flow
Again how it up to you. ‘Bullet Journal‘ has a great app to support your journalling practice but having a note book and just getting into the habit is the key concern. There are not right or wrong ways to proceed from there. Don’t get hung up on grammar or punctiaion – you’ll be the only one reading the writing so it really isn’t as important as the act of actually getting it done.
Good luck and let me know how you go…