Why You Should Keep a Stress Relief Journal

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewEmotional and Physical Benefits of JournalingDrawbacksCompared to Other Stress Management PracticesStrategies to Try

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Overview

Emotional and Physical Benefits of Journaling

Drawbacks

Compared to Other Stress Management Practices

Strategies to Try

Close

Journalinggenerally involves the practice of keeping a diary or journal that explores thoughts and feelings surrounding the events of your life. There are several different ways to do this. Journaling, as a stress management and self-exploration tool, works best when done consistently, but even occasional, sporadic journaling can be stress relieving when the practice is focused on gratitude or emotional processing.

One of the most effective ways toreduce stresswith journaling is to write in detail about feelings and thoughts related to stressful events, as one would discuss topics in therapy, and brainstorm solutions, but there are several different ways to practice journaling.

The journaling method you choose can depend on your needs at the time, and your personality; just do what feels right.

Expressing your thoughts and feelings can help with your emotional and physical health.

Emotional Benefits

Similar to talking to your best friend after a bad day, writing can be a way of venting andgetting things off your mind. You can pour your heart out, you can express your frustrations, you can even rage write. It can be a verycatharticand healing experience.

Journaling can help youclarify your thoughts and feelingsbecause it is no longer all jumbled up in your mind. As a result, you may gain valuable self-knowledge and insight. It’s also a good problem-solving tool; oftentimes, one can hash out a problem and come up with solutions more easily on paper. This process helps us learn tomanage our emotionsin a healthy way.

You can also practiceacceptanceof the negative emotions that come up in your writing. Allowing yourself to have a wide range of feelings without judging them or trying to change them can actually reduce the power they have over you.

Journaling can also help you to focus on areas of your life that you like to focus on more often, as is the case withgratitude journaling.

Physical Benefits

As stress activates the “fight or flight response” of the sympathetic nervous system, journaling will activate the “rest and digest” response of the parasympathetic nervous system. It promotes a calm physiological state and regulates your breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate, which helps you to think more clearly as well.

As for the health benefits of journaling, they’ve been scientifically proven over the past few decades. Research shows the following:

How Chronic Stress Impacts Your Health

Those with learning disabilities may find it difficult to deal with the act of writing itself.Perfectionistsmay be so concerned with the readability of their work, their penmanship, or other periphery factors that they can’t focus on the thoughts and emotions they’re trying to access. Others may get tired hands.

Some people are reluctant to relive negative experiences, and journaling only about yournegative feelingswithout incorporating thoughts or plans may actually cause more stress. A simple way to counteract this is to be sure you end your journaling sessions with a few words about potential solutions to your problems, things you appreciate in your life, or things that give you hope in life.

Unlike morephysical stress management techniques, such as taking a walk, gardening, or some other form of exercise, journaling is a viable option for those who cannot engage in physical activity due to a disability or illness.

And, although some prefer to type with the use of a computer, or talk text into their smartphone, journaling typically only requires a pen and paper. This makes it less expensive than techniques that require special equipment or the aid of a class, book, teacher, or therapist.

Releasing some of those pent-up feelings may even relieve some tension from your body like a good massage,progressive muscle relaxation,guided imagery, and other physical ormeditative techniques.

Plus, like a good therapy session, it’s a great practice for overall stress reduction as well as self-knowledge and emotional healing.

And remember, if you find yourself not keeping a regular schedule with journaling, it’s a habit you can resume at any time. You don’t have to journal every day in order for it to work for you—a few times a week is still highly beneficial, and even journaling on an as-needed basis brings benefits.

If you had a journaling habit and stopped because life got in the way, remember—any day is a good day to get back into the habit.

Takeaway

You can buy pre-made journals. Some of them include writing prompts. Others incorporate dates. Or, you can just use a notebook to keep your journal. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

Over time, you might find journaling helps decrease your stress. If not, however, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. A therapist can assist you in making sure your journaling is effective or they can help you find alternative stress reduction strategies that work better for you.

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Baikie KA, Wilhelm K.Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing.Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 2005;11(5):338-346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338Gortner EM, Rude SS, Pennebaker JW.Benefits of expressive writing in lowering rumination and depressive symptoms.Behavior Therapy. 2006;37(3):292-303. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2006.01.004American Psychological Association.5 steps of cognitive restructuring instructions.Hoyt T, Yeater EA.The effects of negative emotion and expressive writing on posttraumatic stress symptoms.Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 2011;30(6):549-569. doi:10.1521/jscp.2011.30.6.549Ford BQ, Lam P, John OP, Mauss IB.The psychological health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts: Laboratory, diary, and longitudinal evidence.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.2018;115(6):1075–1092. doi:10.1037/pspp0000157Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Garland EL, Howard MO.Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement reduces pain attentional bias in chronic pain patients.Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82(5):311-318. doi:10.1159/000348868Smith HE, Jones CJ, Hankins M, et al.The effects of expressive writing on lung function, quality of life, medication use, and symptoms in adults with asthma: A randomized controlled trial.Psychosomatic Medicine. 2015;77(4):429-437. doi:10.1097/psy.0000000000000166Smyth JM, Stone AA, Hurewitz A, Kaell A.Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial.JAMA. 1999;281(14):1304-1309. doi:10.1001/jama.281.14.1304Booth RJ, Petrie KJ, Pennebaker JW.Changes In circulating lymphocyte numbers following emotional disclosure: Evidence of buffering?Stress Medicine.1997;13(1):23-29. doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1700(199701)13:1<23::aid-smi714>3.0.co;2-eLaccetti M.Expressive writing in women with advanced breast cancer.Oncology Nursing Forum. 2007;34(5):1019-1024. doi:10.1188/07.onf.1019-1024Additional ReadingUllrich PM, Lutgendorf SK.Journaling about stressful events: Effects of cognitive processing and emotional expression. Ann Behav Med. 2002;24(3):244-250. doi:10.1207/s15324796abm2403_10

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Baikie KA, Wilhelm K.Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing.Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 2005;11(5):338-346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338Gortner EM, Rude SS, Pennebaker JW.Benefits of expressive writing in lowering rumination and depressive symptoms.Behavior Therapy. 2006;37(3):292-303. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2006.01.004American Psychological Association.5 steps of cognitive restructuring instructions.Hoyt T, Yeater EA.The effects of negative emotion and expressive writing on posttraumatic stress symptoms.Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 2011;30(6):549-569. doi:10.1521/jscp.2011.30.6.549Ford BQ, Lam P, John OP, Mauss IB.The psychological health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts: Laboratory, diary, and longitudinal evidence.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.2018;115(6):1075–1092. doi:10.1037/pspp0000157Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Garland EL, Howard MO.Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement reduces pain attentional bias in chronic pain patients.Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82(5):311-318. doi:10.1159/000348868Smith HE, Jones CJ, Hankins M, et al.The effects of expressive writing on lung function, quality of life, medication use, and symptoms in adults with asthma: A randomized controlled trial.Psychosomatic Medicine. 2015;77(4):429-437. doi:10.1097/psy.0000000000000166Smyth JM, Stone AA, Hurewitz A, Kaell A.Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial.JAMA. 1999;281(14):1304-1309. doi:10.1001/jama.281.14.1304Booth RJ, Petrie KJ, Pennebaker JW.Changes In circulating lymphocyte numbers following emotional disclosure: Evidence of buffering?Stress Medicine.1997;13(1):23-29. doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1700(199701)13:1<23::aid-smi714>3.0.co;2-eLaccetti M.Expressive writing in women with advanced breast cancer.Oncology Nursing Forum. 2007;34(5):1019-1024. doi:10.1188/07.onf.1019-1024Additional ReadingUllrich PM, Lutgendorf SK.Journaling about stressful events: Effects of cognitive processing and emotional expression. Ann Behav Med. 2002;24(3):244-250. doi:10.1207/s15324796abm2403_10

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Baikie KA, Wilhelm K.Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing.Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 2005;11(5):338-346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338Gortner EM, Rude SS, Pennebaker JW.Benefits of expressive writing in lowering rumination and depressive symptoms.Behavior Therapy. 2006;37(3):292-303. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2006.01.004American Psychological Association.5 steps of cognitive restructuring instructions.Hoyt T, Yeater EA.The effects of negative emotion and expressive writing on posttraumatic stress symptoms.Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 2011;30(6):549-569. doi:10.1521/jscp.2011.30.6.549Ford BQ, Lam P, John OP, Mauss IB.The psychological health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts: Laboratory, diary, and longitudinal evidence.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.2018;115(6):1075–1092. doi:10.1037/pspp0000157Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154Garland EL, Howard MO.Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement reduces pain attentional bias in chronic pain patients.Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82(5):311-318. doi:10.1159/000348868Smith HE, Jones CJ, Hankins M, et al.The effects of expressive writing on lung function, quality of life, medication use, and symptoms in adults with asthma: A randomized controlled trial.Psychosomatic Medicine. 2015;77(4):429-437. doi:10.1097/psy.0000000000000166Smyth JM, Stone AA, Hurewitz A, Kaell A.Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial.JAMA. 1999;281(14):1304-1309. doi:10.1001/jama.281.14.1304Booth RJ, Petrie KJ, Pennebaker JW.Changes In circulating lymphocyte numbers following emotional disclosure: Evidence of buffering?Stress Medicine.1997;13(1):23-29. doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1700(199701)13:1<23::aid-smi714>3.0.co;2-eLaccetti M.Expressive writing in women with advanced breast cancer.Oncology Nursing Forum. 2007;34(5):1019-1024. doi:10.1188/07.onf.1019-1024

Baikie KA, Wilhelm K.Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing.Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 2005;11(5):338-346. doi:10.1192/apt.11.5.338

Gortner EM, Rude SS, Pennebaker JW.Benefits of expressive writing in lowering rumination and depressive symptoms.Behavior Therapy. 2006;37(3):292-303. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2006.01.004

American Psychological Association.5 steps of cognitive restructuring instructions.

Hoyt T, Yeater EA.The effects of negative emotion and expressive writing on posttraumatic stress symptoms.Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 2011;30(6):549-569. doi:10.1521/jscp.2011.30.6.549

Ford BQ, Lam P, John OP, Mauss IB.The psychological health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts: Laboratory, diary, and longitudinal evidence.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.2018;115(6):1075–1092. doi:10.1037/pspp0000157

Sohal M, Singh P, Dhillon BS, Gill HS.Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Fam Med Com Health. 2022;10(1):e001154. doi:10.1136/fmch-2021-001154

Garland EL, Howard MO.Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement reduces pain attentional bias in chronic pain patients.Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82(5):311-318. doi:10.1159/000348868

Smith HE, Jones CJ, Hankins M, et al.The effects of expressive writing on lung function, quality of life, medication use, and symptoms in adults with asthma: A randomized controlled trial.Psychosomatic Medicine. 2015;77(4):429-437. doi:10.1097/psy.0000000000000166

Smyth JM, Stone AA, Hurewitz A, Kaell A.Effects of writing about stressful experiences on symptom reduction in patients with asthma or rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial.JAMA. 1999;281(14):1304-1309. doi:10.1001/jama.281.14.1304

Booth RJ, Petrie KJ, Pennebaker JW.Changes In circulating lymphocyte numbers following emotional disclosure: Evidence of buffering?Stress Medicine.1997;13(1):23-29. doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1700(199701)13:1<23::aid-smi714>3.0.co;2-e

Laccetti M.Expressive writing in women with advanced breast cancer.Oncology Nursing Forum. 2007;34(5):1019-1024. doi:10.1188/07.onf.1019-1024

Ullrich PM, Lutgendorf SK.Journaling about stressful events: Effects of cognitive processing and emotional expression. Ann Behav Med. 2002;24(3):244-250. doi:10.1207/s15324796abm2403_10

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