Health and wellbeing: Stressed? Feel the power of ­putting pen to paper and journaling

As the temperature turns icy cold and the days become shorter, it’s common to experience low mood.

There’s lots of scientific evidence to support the notion that the arrival of winter can affect how we feel, with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), more commonly known as the “winter blues”, estimated to impact millions of people every year.

Getting more sunlight – sitting by a window or investing in a SAD lamp are good options – eating well and keeping active are all recommended by the NHS for battling low mood and, increasingly, mental health experts say creative methods, like journaling, can also help.

Journaling is the practice of writing down your thoughts, feelings and emotions in a dairy or notebook.

“Research shows one of the biggest benefits of journaling is it helps us process emotions and experiences better,” explained positive psychology practitioner Sophie Cliff. “A big part of being able to proactively care for our wellbeing is noticing how we’re feeling and spotting any patterns.

“By tracking our mood, we can start to draw associations – for example, are you more likely to feel positive when you’ve taken time to exercise? Does a poor night’s sleep put you in a bad mood? Knowing these things equips you with information to make smart changes that support your wellbeing moving forwards.”

Here, we look at the health benefits of journaling.

Stress & anxiety

With so many demands on our time and the added worry of the cost-of-living crisis, stress and anxiety are becoming more common. In fact, a UK-wide survey commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation in 2018 found 74% of adults had been “overwhelmed or unable to cope” due to feeling stressed.

According to psychologist Ella McCrystal, who specialises in emotional wellbeing, journaling can help alleviate stressful moments as “recording our thoughts creates a space to identify our stressors and work through fears, doubts or worries”.

She said: “The fast pace of modern life leaves many of us feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Keeping a journal can provide a safe place to unpack your inner dialogue and reflect on issues.”

Slow release

It may seem a little too easy that simply writing down how you feel can positively influence your mood, but psychologist and counsellor Richard Jenkins, who has two decades of experience, says expressive writing is particularly helpful because it offers a slow release. He said: “Imagine spending several seconds shaking up a bottle of Coke, before handing it to someone and asking them to open it. Chances are, they’d do so very carefully. In many ways, the process of releasing negative thoughts is similar. It can be easy in an environment for stress or anxiety to ultimately culminate in a sense of unhappiness, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with this.

“We all have negative thoughts – what’s important is finding a way of releasing them. When you’ve been sitting on a problem for a long while, letting it bubble and fizz, it often pays to find a careful wa y of dealing with it.

“The act of putting your thoughts down on paper works for a number of reasons. For one, when writing, you aren’t spilling out your thoughts. You have to structure them and confront the reality of what you’re saying in order to communicate them in some kind of meaningful way.

“Writing things down also creates an emotional connection as there’s a degree of commitment required and therefore greater emotional engagement with what you’re saying; more so than simply speaking your thoughts aloud.”

Everyday understanding

Another benefit, says Niels Eék, psychologist and co-founder of mental wellness platform Remente, is the mindful element of journaling, which is most beneficial when practised as part of a routine.

“Being more mindful can help you to realise when you need external support with mental health, rather than ignoring issues as they arise. Journaling can help you work out where the problem is coming from and try to solve it.

“Perhaps most importantly, it’s also an outlet for processing emotions and doing it on an ongoing basis can help increase self-awareness.”

Cliff added: “Reflecting on and writing about our experiences helps us to process them and look at them from different perspectives, in turn helping us problem solve and release any tension we might be experiencing.

“What’s more, tracking our moods prompts us to slow down and check in – often we’ll be feeling good but have been so busy we haven’t taken the time to enjoy that feeling. It can help us to better appreciate the good days.”