The Benefits of Journaling for Your Health
As a life coach, I love the practice of journaling for mental and physical health.
Starting today, May 1, I am embarking on a 30-day journey of daily tips for happiness habits on social media. I encourage you to follow me on any of the platforms to stay updated and join me on this journey. As part of my commitment to this challenge, I will be incorporating journaling into my daily routine, and I invite you to do the same. Consistency and accountability are key when creating new habits, and journaling can be a powerful tool to help you achieve your goals.
Research has shown that journaling has numerous benefits for mental health. Expressing your emotions and feelings in writing can reduce depression and anxiety and can be as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing the risk of depression in young adults. In addition, journaling can also reduce the frequency of intrusive, depressive thoughts.
But the benefits of journaling don't stop there. It can also improve physical health by boosting immune system functioning, reducing blood pressure, and improving lung and liver function. By allowing us to develop a coherent narrative of our life, journaling enables us to think more positively and create a holistic picture of ourselves in relation to the world.
Journaling has also been shown to improve memory, ease psychological distress from trauma, and help with sleep problems. It can even cultivate gratitude, which has specific health benefits such as reducing depression, increasing optimism, and making a person more sociable and friendly.
If you're interested in getting started with journaling, check out some of my favorite resources below. And if you need more support or guidance in your wellness journey, don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can overcome any challenge.
Favorite Resources:
This video on how to get started with journaling: https://youtu.be/cRhzYtkp-WY
Baikie, K., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 11(5), 338-346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338
Stice E, Burton E, Bearman SK, Rohde P. Randomized trial of a brief depression prevention program: an elusive search for a psychosocial placebo control condition. Behav Res Ther. 2007 May;45(5):863-76. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2006.08.008. Epub 2006 Sep 27. PMID: 17007812; PMCID: PMC2330269.
Stay tuned for next week where I will be diving into the science behind affirmations…
