How Journaling Can Improve Your Health  

Confessional writing has been around at least since the Renaissance, but new research suggests that it is far more therapeutic than anyone ever knew...

Researchers found direct physiological evidence [that writing about your feelings and experiences is good for your physical health]: writing increased the level of disease-fighting lymphocytes circulating in the bloodstream.

"The research finds are clear: writing about emotional events can help promote physical and mental health. James W. Pennebaker, PhD, psychology professor at the University of Texas. Newsweek, April, 1999

"Keeping a journal will change your life in ways that you'd never imagine." Oprah Winfrey.

Journaling is therapeutic. It allows you to express and record your feelings and to access insights and strengths you may otherwise miss. This is particularly valuable at times when life is difficult.

Journaling doesn’t release tension from your body like progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery or meditation or exercise. But it’s a great practice for overall stress reduction as well as self-knowledge and emotional healing.

Research Into The Effect Of Journaling On Pain

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, writing about stressful life events helped reduce symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis in patients with these chronic conditions.

The effects of the journaling were still evident four months later and resulted in clinically measurable improvements in patient symptoms.

Interestingly, studies showed that asthma patients who wrote about their most stressful life events, showed a 19-percent improvement in lung function; similarly, rheumatoid arthritis patients had a 28-percent reduction in symptoms when they kept a journal.

These findings add to a growing body of evidence that links mental and emotional health to physical well-being. Although researchers aren’t sure exactly how expressive writing can lead to health improvements, they theorize that writing helps people cope with stress, and stress—as well all know— impacts health.

University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker believes that regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. He theorizes that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thus reducing the impact of these stressors on your physical health.

Louise Moran, a nurse coordinator, has written about a patient who, during a serious illness, sent daily e-mails to friends and family about her illness, a practice the woman believes played a pivotal role in her healing process. Moran said another patient felt that journaling helped her create a new life after breast cancer.

There have even been studies suggesting that when healthy people journal their immune system is strengthened. 

Journaling & Pain

Journaling allows you to let off steam, express feelings without fear, record motivating thoughts that you have heard or read, express your true feelings about your pain, coping with it, how it affects your relationships, and your deepest fears. Journaling gives you all this.

A particular benefit is that you can write about your pain and so create a record that can shed light on things that aggravate or intensify it. You will be able to see things that were associated with a flare up which previously you had not recognized.

When you see your doctor you will be able to answer all those questions about your pain more easily. The worst questions for me are "How long has it been feeling like this?" and "Is it any worse of better since last time saw you?" I can never be sure that I am telling it as it was.

Using Journaling Software

Of course you can keep a journal without having special journaling software, but using the software gives you a lot more options. It keeps your writing completely confidential, because you can password protect your documents, thus allowing you to write more freely.

Many people find that they can't write freely in a paper journal because of anxiety that someone else may read it, this fear disappears with journaling software.

Resources

	The Handbook of Journaling by Dr. Neil Neimark Review By A Customer This book is a beautifully written way to journal to your inner self! Of all the self help books I have read (that is many) this one beats them all! ""Finally"" a book to help guide a person to the inner depths of the soul. Only one chapter about the author's life and his way of journaling. The rest is exactly what the Table of Contents states. Simple and precise examples and questions to help you in the reader's search for love and acceptance of oneself and the outside world! To help change our own view of our world and help to deal with life issues. Wonderful! A book I have been longing for for a long time! Sums up all those self help books! Well worth every cent because it will save me in the long run!!!
	Review By A Customer   I've known about journaling for a long time, and I've used it for my own personal work and in workshops with others. But I learned a lot more about it from Dr. Neimark. In his very accessible, clear, friendly style, he describes and differentiates several excellent methods of journal writing, and how and why the technique is so effective for people working on self-discovery and change. I think this book is a must for anyone in the market for a serious attitude change from the inside out.
	The Handbook of Journaling by Dr. Neil Neimark