Benefits of Keeping a Diary

 

Keeping a diary is not just for the young.  It is a great for adults as well. Writing in a diary has many positive health benefits.  Not only does it provide a way of recording the events of one’s daily life, it can help to relieve many physical discomforts.

Ø  Relieves stress

Keeping a diary can help to relieve stress.  When a person is under stress, the stress hormone called cortisol is released into the blood system.  This hormone put the body in a “fight-or-fight” mode, and it stops all functions that are not need immediately. Cortisol is designed to help the body during dangerous and occasionally tense situations. Small amounts of cortisol are good, but on a daily basis cortisol can wreck havoc on the body.

By writing in a diary, a person is able to put all those negative feelings down on paper. It offers an outlet for feelings of stress and frustration which will help to decrease the amount of cortisol in the blood.

Ø  Helps for depression

Writing in a diary can help with depression.  When a person is depressed, they feel hopeless, helpless, and tired.  Financial strains, traumatic events, and stress are some common causes of depression. By writing about one’s feeling and frustrations, a person can self-reflect, identify a cause, and begin to deal with those feelings. A person can write in a diary without having to worry about judged or condemned.

Ø  Improves brain functions

Writing is a mentally stimulating activity and, as such, it is a great way to keep the brain functioning at its best. It can also help improve a person’s memory. By participating in stimulating brain activities, a person can help slow the development of dementia.

Ø  Decreased digestive problems

Diary writing can help improve a person’s digestion.  Because cortisol, the stress hormone, stops or slows any function that is not need immediately during the “fight or flight” mode, a person’s digestion is affected. A person who is dealing with stress on a regular basis is prone to heart burn, indigestion, and constipation.  By decreasing the amount of cortisol in the body, a person can improve their digestion.  Diary writing offers a way to minimize cortisol and improve digestion.

Ø  Decrease symptoms of arthritis

Keeping a diary or journal has also been shown to help with symptoms of arthritis.  Writing about the challenges of the disease allows an outlet for stress and helps the person cope with the difficulties associated with the disease.

Ø  Improved immune functions

Keeping a diary can also help to improve immune functions. Writing in a diary has been proven to decrease stress which has been shown to suppress the immune system. By writing in a diary, a person can decrease stress and decrease the negative effects of cortisol on the immune system.

Writing in a diary has many positive benefits. It has been shown to help decrease the amount of cortisol in a person’s blood stream, decrease digestive problems, improve brain function, less the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and help with depression.

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http://arthritis.about.com/od/journal/a/journalwriting.html