What Studies Really Show

Let’s be nerdy for a minute because the science is crazy.

Writing in a journal has been linked to reduced blood pressure, improved lung and liver function, fewer hospital visits, a stronger immune system, and even faster rehabilitation after losing a job. (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005)

Mental health benefits: People who keep a journal say they have fewer symptoms of depression, less avoidance, less anxiety, and better general mental health. (Ford et al., 2018)

Work benefits: One study indicated that persons who kept a journal missed fewer days of work. Picture your supervisor telling you to write in a notebook at your desk. (Sohal, Singh, Dhillon & Gill, 2022)

Benefits for students: Another study found that students who kept journals got higher grades. I wish I had learned this in college.

Gratitude writing bonus: People who practiced it consistently reported feeling happier and more blessed. However, be cautious: doing it every day can backfire and make you feel like you’re forcing yourself to do it. A few times a week is enough. (Fredrickson, 2010)

So, the proof is there. Writing in a journal isn’t just a way to let out your feelings. It’s good for your brain and body.

Why It Works: The Psychology Behind It

Researchers don’t all agree on the exact mechanism, but they have come up with a few main processes that are likely to be involved:

Emotional release (catharsis): releasing negative emotions instead of holding them in.

Cognitive processing: Writing allows you to organize your experiences into a coherent narrative.

Repeated exposure: Writing down terrible experiences makes them less scary over time.

Less inhibition: Holding back your feelings is hard. Writing them down takes that weight off.

To put it another way, writing in a journal helps us stop fighting with our thoughts in our heads and start dealing with them in a better way.5 Surprising Benefits of Journaling

1. Writing in a journal to deal with anxiety

Writing in a journal can help you stop thinking about things that make you anxious. Studies demonstrate that everyone benefits, but women tend to profit the most.

2. Writing in a journal for depression

Writing about your feelings and keeping a gratitude notebook have both been found to help with depression. The longer you do it (30 days or more), the greater the outcomes will be.

3. Writing in a journal to deal with stress

Writing about difficult circumstances might help us avoid burnout, control our emotions, and even make us want to get aid from other people.

4. Writing in a journal to think about things

Writing in a journal provides you space when your mind is stuck on loop. Instead of being stuck in your ideas, it allows you “look at” them.

5. Writing in a journal to get better

Journaling has helped people recover from PTSD, addiction, and other problems by helping them deal with trauma and look forward to the future.

The Journals of the Pandemic

I started writing in a journal again during the first lockdown for COVID.

I only wanted to remember this time in history at first. But soon, my pages were full of other things: dread, loneliness, thankfulness, and boredom.

I wasn’t alone myself.

Psychologists started the Pandemic Project, which gave participants prompts for journaling to help them deal with their feelings.

A lot of people joined in. What did they find?

People said they felt less stressed, had greater insight, and even had physical benefits including improved immune responses.

One study also found that medical students who wrote about their worst experiences had greater antibody responses to immunizations. Yes, writing in a journal helped their immunizations operate better. (Petrie et al.)