If you're looking for a nice incentive to write, then perhaps its ability to help the body heal faster is it.
An article published in Mic.com last September 15, 2014, highlights the different health benefits of writing. It recounts a 2013 study conducted by New Zealand researches among older adults.
This study, which can be later found in Psychosomatic Medicine, correlated physical healing expressive writing. The researchers used 49 older adults between the ages of 64 and 97 years old, who were also deemed to be in good health condition.
For 3 days, the participants wrote their thoughts and emotions about their daily routines or situations that challenged or upset them. They were given only 20 minutes to write within the limited number of days.
After 3 days, the participants were then given 2 weeks off writing to allow their negative emotions and thoughts to dissipate. They were also provided with a biopsy through the arm. Within 21 days, the researchers monitored the healing process, after which they discovered that more than 75% of those who had written experienced complete healing, more than 30% higher than those who didn't.
According to the researchers, the positive results may be due to the fact that writing helped reduce the level of stress among the participants. Negative feelings such as anger can increase the production of the stress hormone called cortisol produced by the adrenal glands.
In a Mayo Clinic article on July 11, 2013, under chronic stress, which happens when a person has a pent-up negative emotion, the glands produce more of this hormone, which can then lead to increased blood sugar and alterations in the immune system. It also causes suppression of various body systems such as reproductive and digestive.
Dr. James Pennbaker, author of Writing to Heal, also conducted a similar study among people with secrets. He discovered that people with more secrets are vulnerable to different health issues. He then conducted a study to determine the effects of writing to their health, which soon revealed that by simply writing their secrets out, they experienced positive changes in their health.
