There’s something about putting a pen to paper that many people find intrinsically relaxing.

From helping us calm down to making us feel more organized, simply getting words down on paper can quickly take us from stressed and anxious to relaxed and assured.

But with a million social media notifications constantly going off, work meetings to attend, and a litany of other responsibilities fighting for space in our minds, it can be hard to find the time for daily writing.

It’s time to make writing a priority.

Why?

Writing every day can actually improve your well-being, from mental health to tangible physical benefits.

Can Writing Improve Your Mental Health? 

It seems like we’re all talking about mental health these days. And for good reason.

According to Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults in the U.S. are currently suffering from a mental illness.

That’s almost 50 million people who are struggling with their mental health.

While writing is certainly no magic cure-all for mental health issues, experts are finding it can go a long way in improving your mental well-being.

Letting Out Your Emotions

We all bottle up our emotions sometimes. After all, it’s easy to think, “If I avoid the problem, maybe it’ll just go away.”

But, over time, bottling up emotions can lead to serious psychological distress.

This is where writing can help.

When we write, we can express and let go of the issues that are troubling us.

Moreover, writing out our emotions is simple, safe, and private—if we want it to be.

And some researchers agree that simply letting out our emotions through writing can be a real balm for our mental health.

Increasing Self-Awareness

Other research points to writing as an aid for our mental health because it helps increase self-awareness.

When we write down our emotions on paper, we not only let go of our emotions, but we get the opportunity to take a look at them from an arm’s length.

Simply taking stock of our emotions through writing can go a long way in helping us enhance our well-being and improve our mental health.

Physical Health Benefits of Writing

What about our physical health?

Can writing every day really have a positive effect on our physical health?

Some experts think so.

According to research by Dr. Pennebaker and Joshua Smyth, Ph.D. at Syracuse University,

…writing about emotions and stress can boost immune functioning in patients with HIV/AIDS, asthma, and arthritis.

How?

Experts don’t fully understand the ins and outs of why writing can lead to these benefits, but it harkens back to mental health.

When we write, we can attempt to understand difficult emotions and events in our lives. And this can have therapeutic benefits on both the mind and body.

The Long-Term Health Benefits of Writing Every Day

We all know that regular exercise has powerful positive effects on our long-term health.

And so can writing.

According to Cambridge University Press, many studies have reported evidence that expressive writing can lead to long-term physical health benefits, such as:

• Fewer stress-related visits to the doctor
• Improved immune system functioning
• Lower blood pressure
• Fewer depressive symptoms

Improve Well-Being with Writing: How to Get Started

Okay, so it’s clear that there’s power in writing.

But what do we have to do exactly to improve our well-being with writing?

Be Dedicated

To realize the full benefits of improving well-being with writing, we should all try to write a little bit every day.

Carving out just 15 minutes a day can create a space for us to pause, reflect, and release our emotions.

But Also Be Forgiving

Taking on yet another daily routine can’t be stressful—this is definitely not the point!

It’s important to remember to be forgiving with ourselves if we miss a day.

We should also remind ourselves that the purpose of writing daily is more about the exercise than the final product.

We’re not setting out to write the Next Great American Novel, so we shouldn’t pressure ourselves to feel like our writing has to be perfect.

Don’t Forget to Re-Read It

Releasing our emotions through writing is the first step.

Going back to take stock of those emotions is the second.

This is what can really help us get a deeper understanding of what’s brewing below the surface and give us the clarity for improved mind, body, and well-being.

That’s It

Taking just a few moments out of the day to write and reflect can have powerful short-term and long-term benefits on well-being.

Do you regularly write as a part of your day?

Do you feel it helps your well-being?

Share with the community and let us know what writing does for you.