Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Many people use writing as a form of therapy. Although it may help you relax, it may also contribute to several key aspects in your life. You don’t have to be a mainstream author or have a high number of followers on your blog. Simply putting text to paper, or any medium of your choice, can make significant changes within yourself for both physical and mental health. It can be as spiritual for some as meditation is for others.
Improving Your Health Through Writing
Writing is an excellent form of self-expression. Whether this is done in a private journal or posted in a blog for all to see, it’s a way to get in touch with who you are as a person. You can discover quite a bit about yourself within the written word. So, how does this impact your physical and mental health for the better?
Relieving Stress
This is probably the most important aspect to living for just about anyone. Stress can do a number on your health. It can cause everything from eating disorders to increasing your blood pressure. It also impacts the mind and how you process information. Sleep deprivation, cardiovascular complications and many other ailments can be directly related to constant feelings of anxiety. When many people are feeling high levels of stress, it can be difficult to make logical and rational decisions. This is why many therapists will ask patients to write in a journal. It’s a great way to get things that bother you off your chest and out in the open. A lot of bloggers will do this in order to make a change in their world while prompting conversation.
Losing Weight
Have you ever combined writing and weight loss in the same thought? In reality, writing can improve your weight. Before I lose you, think about the hormone cortisol. This compound within the body creates deep-tissue fat, especially around the midsection of the body. It’s been scientifically linked to those experiencing high levels of stress. When you reduce the impact cortisol has on your body, this deep-tissue fat can begin to break down. This isn’t saying that you’ll lose a pound with every blog post you make, but it may contribute to helping you lose that spare tire.
Knowing Who You Are
Writing, as well as many other arts and crafts, allow you to delve deep into who you are as an individual. It opens the gates of your consciousness allowing you to explore what you’re truly capable of. For me, this has made a serious impact on my life. The only way I could describe it is as a spiritual awakening. As corny as it may sound to some, it’s almost exactly how I feel. Everything I do in my day has a different purpose behind it. It’s quite liberating, to be honest.
Stimulating Aspects of the Brain
The same areas of the brain that inspire creativity are used in every day life. Everything from cooking to decisions you make at work can be affected by the constant activity within this part of your mind. The more often you use certain areas of the brain, the more connected neurons become. Think of, “Practice makes perfect.” This doesn’t mean you’ll have a computer for a mind, but it will make a difference in many parts of your life.
The pleasure center of the brain is also capable of being flexed when you write. This not only helps reduce stress and all that it does to your health, but it can also improve your general mood throughout the day thanks to various hormones and secretions. When you create something that you really enjoy, it could put a spring in your step that could last throughout the entire day.
How you view your life in general will impact your views for healthy living. Writing has the capacity to enhance your outlook while helping you identify many parts in your life that need improvement. Whether you love to write, sculpt or paint, it’s all the same when it comes to influencing your lifestyle. Do the things you love and get more out of the world around you. It may be more monumental to your existence than you previously thought.
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