YOU MAY NOT REALIZE IT, but there are at least five ways that writing can transform your health.

You never need a pen and paper handy when your smartphone is always with you. We spend so much time typing, but do we ever really write something? Typing is just pressing buttons to convey an idea, but the actual art of writing will put you in a more contemplative state.

This state does wonders for your psyche, and it’s easy enough to get yourself there. Instead of typing a social media update about what’s going on with you, consider writing in a physical journal. The difference in how you feel afterwards will astound you.

Retaining Information Better

You need to remember complex things, for work, school, and life in general. Typing them out will help, but typing is more of a reflex than anything else. Writing out information can help your brain retain smaller details, and cause you to be less forgetful.

Keep your smartphone in one pocket, and a pad and pen in the other. Associating a memory with the action of writing it makes you more likely to recall it when you need to.

Coping With Your Emotions

Being sad can sometimes make us blind to everything that lead up to that moment. It’s painful to think about a tragic event or a massive letdown, so we avoid doing it. We sit on the emotions until we grow used to them, and try to keep them out of the front of our minds.

Instead of replaying minor details in your head, try writing everything down. Be as comprehensive as you can. The process of writing it out and having it all in front of you will prevent you from becoming sidetracked or trying to stifle the emotional process. Once you have it all out, you’ll be able to come to a better understanding about the origins of your unhappiness. This is essential for working through the issue, and being happier overall.

Providing a Creative Release

Do you ever feel stir crazy for seemingly no reason? Anxiety that cannot be pinpointed is the worst kind. If you’re tempted to pack up and move to a new climate, but you’re not quite sure why, try providing yourself a more economical vacation.

Writing creative fiction, prose, or poetry can allow you to explore the depths of your mind. It will serve as an escape from your everyday life by giving you the opportunity to explore the depths of your imagination and vividly create a new reality, and you’ll have an original work to show for it. This is one of the most productive releases for anxiety.

Improving Optimism

Sometimes, you may feel like everything is out to get you. If you’re going through a rough spot in your life where not everything is turning out the way you had planned, it’s easy to feel like everything is falling down around you. In reality, that’s just pessimism grabbing you. You may be so overwhelmed with a massive conflict at work, the need for an immediate car repair, and the annual increase in our rent that you forget all about the new niece or nephew you have on the way.

This is where a gratitude journal comes in. Set aside a few minutes each day to write down all of your daily successes, recent good news, and everything you’re looking forward to. Recognizing these things will give you a reason to keep your head up through the hardest of times.

Conflict Resolution

You’re so angry at another person, but you don’t know what to say. Letting your blood pressure skyrocket while you can feel your veins throbbing is obviously not good for your health. You may want to scream and shout, but take a step back.

Calming yourself down and writing a letter to express everything you need to say can lessen the physical and emotional stress of a confrontation. Often times, the first draft of your letter will be what helps you worth through the emotions you experienced in the first place. Try writing a second draft of the letter with a cooler head. You can either deliver it to the other party, or use it as your talking points when you want to have a diplomatic conversation to resolve the conflict.

Do you benefit from using writing in any of these ways? What do you write about to make yourself feel healthier? Feel free to leave a comment down below to share your suggestions with other readers.

Author’s Bio: Torri Myler is a part of the team at http://www.bankopening.co.uk/ – an online UK bank opening and closing times repository. She is very keen on writing and strongly believes it helps you heal, grow and thrive. She has a background in new technologies and internet science.