Science Shows Something Surprising About People Who Love to Write
By
Rachel Grate
The benefits of writing go far beyond building up your vocabulary.
No matter the quality of your prose, the act of writing
itself leads to strong physical and mental health benefits, like
long-term improvements in mood, stress levels and depressive symptoms.
In a 2005 study on the emotional and physical health benefits
of expressive writing, researchers found that just 15 to 20 minutes of
writing three to five times over the course of the four-month study was
enough to make a difference.
By writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events,
participants were significantly more likely to have fewer illnesses and
be less affected by trauma. Participants ultimately spent less time in
the hospital, enjoyed lower blood pressure and had better liver
functionality than their counterparts.
It turns out writing can make physical wounds heal faster as well. In 2013, New Zealand researchers
monitored the recovery of wounds from medically necessary biopsies on
49 healthy adults. The adults wrote about their thoughts and feelings
for just 20 minutes, three days in a row, two weeks before the biopsy.
Eleven days later, 76% of the group that wrote had fully healed.
Fifty-eight percent of the control group had not recovered. The study
concluded that writing about distressing events helped participants make
sense of the events and reduce distress.
Even those who suffer from specific diseases can improve their health through writing. Studies have shown that people with asthma who write have fewer attacks than those who don't; AIDS patients who write have higher T-cell counts. Cancer patients who write have more optimistic perspectives and improved quality of life.
So what is it about writing that makes it so great for you?
James W. Pennebaker
has been conducting research on writing to heal for years at the
University of Texas at Austin. "When people are given the opportunity to
write about emotional upheavals, they often experience improved
health," Pennebaker writes. "They go to the doctor less. They have
changes in immune function."
Why? Pennebaker believes this act of expressive writing
allows people to take a step back and evaluate their lives. Instead of
obsessing unhealthily over an event, they can focus on moving forward.
By doing so, stress levels go down and health correspondingly goes up.
You don't have to be a serious novelist or constantly
reflecting on your life's most traumatic moments to get these great
benefits. Even blogging or journaling is enough to see results. One
study found that blogging might trigger dopamine release, similar to the effect from running or listening to music.
From long-term health improvements to short-term benefits like sleeping better, it's official: Writers are doing something right.
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