Emma Bennett
Washington High School
May 11th, 2025
Recently, digital devices such as computers have become indispensable in society. As a result, more people “type” on a keyboard while fewer people “write” on paper. However, this may become a disadvantage for society. Van Der Weel & Van Der Meer (2024) state, “When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns were far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard, as shown by widespread theta/alpha connectivity coherence patterns between network hubs and nodes in parietal and central brain regions.” During such times, some individuals are rediscovering the significance of journaling as a habit of writing. Journaling is writing down one’s daily thoughts, emotions, and goals. It may seem simple, but journaling can have constructive impacts both mentally and physically, assisting in achieving goals and boosting self-improvement.
Journaling can lead to improved mental health and physical health as a result. The habit of journaling can spread in numerous ways. For example, journaling about travel, food, and fitness are all options. Among them, gratitude journaling and expressive journaling can be especially effective for mental wellness. Both types allow one to write down one’s thoughts and feelings honestly. Many papers have shown how suppressing emotions can lead to stress, which causes not only mental issues but also physical problems. For instance, one study showed that people with high emotional suppression scores had a higher risk of death by more than 30%, and the risk of being diagnosed with cancer was higher by 70% (Pisano, 2021). Expressing emotions and thoughts are important elements of human health. Talking to somebody can be an option, but writing can be done by themselves, anytime. To illustrate this point, research targeting patients diagnosed with MDD showed lower depression rates when patients undertook 20 minutes of expressive writing for 3 days (Krpan et al., 2013). Regarding gratitude writing, a study showed that a week of recording gratitude can decrease stress levels significantly (Fekete & Deichert, 2022). In this research, however, stress levels didn't change by expressive writing. The two results mentioned above indicate how such types of journaling can positively affect a person’s condition, though in different ways.
Furthermore, journaling can help achieve goals. One study by Gail Matthews from the Dominican University of California indicates this. The participants in the research held a wide range of goals. Regardless of whether big and small, or long and short, results showed that people who wrote down their goals had a 50% higher accomplishment rate than those who didn’t (Matthews, 2020). Moreover, they found that the group instructed to “formulate action commitments and send their goals, action commitments, and weekly progress reports to a supportive friend” had the highest scoring rate (Matthews, 2020). This shows that reflection can have a higher effect on those seeking to achieve goals. The exact reasons for these results aren't stated, but the following elements can help in understanding the significance of visualizing goals on paper. When people put thoughts into words, they get the opportunity to clarify goals and think specifically about the way to achieve them. Moreover, writing down information can improve long-term memory retention for that information (Vallecillo, 2025). At the same time, the eyes can read those goals since they’re left visible as words, reminding the brain not to forget. The stronger and more often it stays in one’s mind, the more times they plan to achieve it. The action of writing itself is effective for supporting one’s personal development.
To conclude, journaling has significant value, which is supported by psychological and scientific research. Having a place to express emotions freely can benefit our mental and physical health at the same time. In addition, writing down objectives can assist the brain in attaining them. These results show the significance of “writing”, how a simple action done with pen and paper has a high benefit towards a person. Journaling can be an option to clarify the wants and needs, enriching a lifetime.
Word count: 662
References
Fekete, E. M., & Deichert, N. T. (2022). A brief gratitude writing intervention decreased stress and negative affect during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(6), 2427–2448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00505-6
Krpan, K. M., Kross, E., Berman, M. G., Deldin, P. J., Askren, M. K., & Jonides, J. (2013). An everyday activity as a treatment for depression: The benefits of expressive writing for people diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 150(3), 1148–1151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.065
Matthews, G. (2020, February). Goals Research Summary. Dominican University of California. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
Pisano, T. (2021, July 16). Why You Shouldn’t Suppress Your Emotions. M1 Psychology. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
Sutton, J., & Latif, S. (2018, May 14). 5 Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health. Positive Psychology. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
Vallecillo, K. (2025, January 21). The Science Behind Goal Setting: Why Writing Down Your Goals Works. TalentQuest. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
Van Der Weel, F. R., & Van Der Meer, A. L. H. (2024). Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945