Write about what's on your mind for 10 minutes

Why putting worries on paper helps

Worries you keep to yourself tend to repeat, especially in the quiet parts of the day. Psychologists have studied a simple response for decades, called expressive writing: writing freely about your thoughts and feelings for a short, set time. Researchers usually give two instructions, and you can use them too: keep the pen moving and keep it private. You don't need good grammar, a neat notebook or a tidy conclusion at the end.

What happens when you write

Researchers think part of the benefit comes from turning a vague cloud of feelings into words. Once a worry is on paper, it has a beginning and an end, and you can look at it from a little distance. Writing only for yourself lets you be honest without wondering how it sounds.

There may also be a benefit for your attention. In one study, students who wrote about a negative experience showed gains in working memory, the mental space you use to hold and juggle information, several weeks later. The researchers linked this to fewer intrusive thoughts, the unwanted ones that pop up uninvited.

What the studies show, and what they don't

In a classic 1986 study, college students wrote about upsetting experiences for 15 minutes on four days in a row. In the following months, those who wrote about both the facts and their feelings made fewer visits to the student health center than students who wrote about everyday topics. A common question is whether more writing works better. Most studies used sessions of about 15 to 20 minutes, so 20 minutes sits at the upper end of what was tested, and there is no sign that daily marathons help more.

The benefits are modest. A 2006 review that pooled 146 studies found a real but small average effect, and results varied a lot from study to study. Most research used a handful of sessions over a few days, often with students, so a daily habit is an adaptation of what was tested. Some people also feel a little sadder right after writing about something hard, a dip that usually faded in the studies.

Fitting it into your evening

Tie the writing to a moment you already have, such as the end of dinner. Leave a notebook and pen where you eat, so your session isn't spent hunting for a pen that works. Write about whatever is loudest that day: a worry, a decision, a conversation that still bothers you. When a topic feels too heavy, switch to something lighter or simply stop.

On a rough night, two minutes still counts, as long as you keep the pen moving and keep it private. After a few weeks, you become someone who empties their head onto paper after dinner instead of carrying it to bed. If writing keeps leaving you more upset, or worry and low mood start getting in the way of daily life, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. Where in your home could a notebook sit within reach after dinner?

References

• Pennebaker, J. W., & Beall, S. K. (1986). Confronting a traumatic event: Toward an understanding of inhibition and disease. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95(3), 274–281. doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.95.3.274
• Ramirez, G., & Beilock, S. L. (2011). Writing about testing worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. Science, 331(6014), 211–213. doi.org/10.1126/science.1199427
• Frattaroli, J. (2006). Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 823–865. doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823
• Klein, K., & Boals, A. (2001). Expressive writing can increase working memory capacity. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 130(3), 520–533. doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.130.3.520