As a licensed Mental Health Professional, Yoga Therapist and Wellness Coach at Atha Jiva, I understand that starting a new healthy habit can be challenging.
I created the Atha Jiva Healthy Habits Checklist to help you develop healthy, sustainable lifestyle habits that support their overall mental and physical well-being.
The First Habit On The Atha Jiva Checklist Is Journaling : Making A Lasting Habit Of Journaling Your Journey
As a Clinical Mental Health Therapist at Atha Jiva Mindful Therapy and Wellness, I often assign Journaling homework to my clients as a powerful tool to enhance their self-awareness, emotional processing, and overall body-mind well-being.
Journaling can promote restful sleep and also support the healing process. Journal writing helps my clients set intentions, reflect and process emotions, clear their minds, and gain a more objective perspective on difficult life challenges.
All you need to know about why and how to create, establish, and maintain a habit of journaling. Whether you’re dealing with stress from school, burnout from work, an illness, anxiety or depression, journaling can help in many ways.
We are as healthy as our daily habits.
Why – The Mind-Body Benefits Of Journaling
Studies show that daily journaling can significantly benefit mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, improving emotional regulation, and fostering a greater sense of calm and control.
Spending just five to ten minutes a day with your journal notebook can help you feel calmer, more focused, and more in control of your thoughts. It’s an easy way to practice self-care and maintain your mental health. Even on busy days, those few minutes can make a big difference. Read more on this by checking out this article on the efficacy of journaling.
Surprising Discoveries In Journaling Research That Show Its Impact On Physical Health And Well-Being.
Research out of New Zealand suggests that journaling may help wounds heal faster. Additionally, a comprehensive review by researchers Karen A. Baikie and Kay Wilhelm documented multiple physiological benefits in participants who journaled for just 20 minutes per day over 3-5 sessions:
- 47% fewer stress-related doctor visits
- Improved immune system functioning (measured via antibody response)
- Reduced blood pressure (average decrease of 10-15 points)
- Enhanced lung function (improved respiratory capacity)
- Better liver function (improved detoxification markers)
Journaling, at its core, is simply a way of organizing our thoughts. Dr. Pennebaker explains that journaling helps us process events, especially painful ones, so they make more sense in our minds. This frees our brain from constantly reworking those experiences, which improves memory and leads to better sleep.
As a result, our mood, immune system, and daily functioning also improve. We feel more refreshed, perform better at work, and connect more easily with others. While there isn’t a single “magic moment,” Dr. Pennebaker says the evidence shows journaling truly works.
His research shows the biggest benefits come from writing about difficult or traumatic events. In his landmark 1988 study, detailed in Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion, students were asked to write for four days straight—some about trauma, others about surface-level topics. Six weeks later, those who wrote about trauma had better moods and fewer health problems compared to those who only wrote about everyday matters.
How Journaling Benefits Your Brain
Research from UCLA shows that expressive writing engages the prefrontal cortex, which helps with decision-making, while reducing activity in the Amygdala, the part of the brain that detects threats. This change in brain activity is why journaling can help lower anxiety (Lieberman et al., 2007).
Additionally, studies indicate that regular journaling helps the brain form new connections, a process called Neuroplasticity. This means that journaling may help improve emotional control and manage stress more effectively (Hopper & Frewen, 2015).
Whether you’re dealing with stress, processing trauma, or simply seeking personal growth, journaling provides a scientifically validated tool for improving mental health and well-being.
Give it a try and see how journaling can transform your mental and emotional well-being. Your mind — and body — will thank you for it
Tools needed: A pen and traditional notebook journal or digital journal
“Whether you choose a traditional paper journal or a digital one, the key is finding what works best for you”
To Start a Regular Routine of Journaling:
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- Schedule time for journaling: Determine what time works best for you, ideally during your morning or bedtime routine.
- Consistency is key. Try setting a timer and start with 5 minutes each day to gradually develop the habit.
- Minimize distractions: Create a quiet space where you can focus without interruptions
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I wish you more energy in your efforts to practice these behaviours and develop the mindset that will help you on your journey towards improved mental health and wellness.
Stay tuned for my next blog, which will cover the importance of breathing well and how to get started with your own Breath Awareness Practice — the second healthy habit on the Atha Jiva Healthy Habits Checklist. Engaging in a daily breathwork practice is a free and low-risk activity that offers numerous benefits for both mental well-being and physical health.
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