Four ways to improve health through journalling
As clichéd as it might feel, writing in a journal or private diary can help us feel better both physically and mentally.
Writing about our emotional experiences is thought to have these benefits because it prevents us from suppressing our thoughts and emotions, which is bad for our health.
Journalling privately also allows us to express thoughts and feelings that we might not be comfortable sharing with others.
To help you get started with mindful journalling, here are four different methods to try.
1. Gratitude journalling
Several studies have found that keeping a gratitude journal can help people sleep better, improve their relationships with others, and sleep better.
Gratitude journalling may involve writing about the experiences we are grateful for, creating gratitude lists, or creating a collage of pictures.
2. Reflective journalling
Putting pen to paper and reflecting on our real-life experiences can help us learn from and find meaning from them.
To start, journalling about the details of an experience can lay the groundwork for interpreting what happened and how we feel about it later on.
3. Health journalling
Keeping track of current health issues we may be experiencing can have similar benefits to writing about other emotional experiences, such as a decrease in mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
It can be just as effective in monitoring our mental health, acting as a place to recognise triggers, identify negative thoughts and behaviour, or reduce stress.
4. Goal journalling
Though this form of journalling is less free-form than other methods, goal journalling can be beneficial in helping us set goals, and plan and track our progress in meeting these goals.
Writing about our goals can also help us see our accomplishments and the ways that our progress has paid off.
Experimenting with different journalling styles can help us identify what does and doesn’t work, and help solidify expressing our feelings as a regular habit.
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