How Journaling Benefits Well-Being in Older Adults

A simple journaling practice can bring surprising health benefits to individuals, even when they start later in life. Studies have found that journaling promotes greater wellness outcomes in mental health, cognitive functioning, and physical health. All of which are indicators of healthy aging for seniors. Read on to learn more about the benefits of journaling for seniors, different types of journaling, and how to get the most out of your journaling experience whether you’re a beginner or an expert.

Key takeaways

• Journaling offers a variety of health benefits, including improved mood and memory, lower blood pressure, and decreased risk of dementia.    
• There are many different ways to journal, from short lists and bullet journaling, to gratitude journaling and expressive writing.
• Journaling is easy to start, and you can try a variety of prompts to deepen your practice. 

Health benefits of journaling for seniors

There are several potential health benefits seniors can gain from journaling, including:

• Improved mental health
• Better brain functioning
• Improved physical health 
• Greater sense of life purpose

Let’s take a look at each of these areas in more detail.

Mental health benefits of journaling

Different types of journaling practices show promising results when it comes to mental and emotional health. Seniors who journal can experience the following mental health benefits: 

• Improved mood
• Decreased stress 
• Reduced depressive symptoms
• Stronger emotional regulation

Journaling gives older adults a chance to reflect on past events and process the emotions associated with them. This results in improved emotional regulation, better mood, and a reduction in stress and depressive symptoms. Writing in a journal over periods of time can help individuals to manage negative thought patterns, and appreciate things that are going well. Plus, recounting life experiences through writing and journaling has been shown to improve resilience, which helps you overcome future challenges with more ease. 

Positive effects of journaling on brain health

Writing engages various centers of the brain and acts as a form of mental exercise that keeps you sharp into your later years. Brain health benefits of journaling include:

• Improved cognitive functioning
• Better memory
• Improved learning
• Decreased risk of dementia

Several studies show the positive effects of journaling on cognitive functioning, including memory retention and recall. And, when you engage in writing by hand, you improve your ability to think critically and learn new things. One study found that people who wrote in a journal at any point during their life reduced their risk of dementia by 53% compared to non-journalers. It’s never too late to begin a journaling practice and start reaping the benefits.

Physical benefits of journaling

Writing in a journal results in a number of physical health benefits, such as:  

• Lower blood pressure
• Better sleep
• Boosted immunity
• Improved chronic illness outcomes

When people journal about challenging life events, they experience reduced stress and lower blood pressure. Have trouble falling asleep? A journaling practice before bed can help. In one study, people with difficulty sleeping wrote down future to-do lists and reported falling asleep with ease. In another study, people journaled about gratitude and experienced fewer sleep disruptions. 

For decades, research has shown that writing about emotional experiences strengthens the immune system. When it comes to aging adults with chronic diseases, journaling has been shown to improve quality of life and outcomes following heart attack and cancer diagnosis. 

Journaling and greater life fulfillment in older adults

Journaling can contribute to personal growth and a deeper sense of life fulfillment in the following ways:

• Strengthened sense of identity
• Increased life purpose
• Improved life outlook
• Stronger social relationships

Writing in a journal provides an avenue for self reflection and self awareness that can strengthen a person’s values and identity, no matter their age. When people align their actions with their values, they experience greater life purpose. For example, writing a bucket list can help you achieve important goals and dreams into your later years. And, writing a legacy of values helps seniors pass on wisdom to future generations, contributing to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Journaling isn’t just a solo activity. When people ages 55 years or older engage in writing activities with others, they show improvements in forming new life perspectives and strengthened social connections. See if your community library has a journaling group, find one online, or consider creating your own with friends and neighbors.  

How to start journaling as an older adult

When it comes to journaling, one method does not fit all. A key to starting a new writing practice is making sure it’s something you enjoy that you can stick with over time. Writing for just 15 minutes a few times a week results in a number of health benefits for people of all ages. If you’ve never journaled before, or if you’re experienced, the following tips will be helpful to get you started and keep you going. 

Make writing simple and enjoyable

• Create consistency: journal with your morning coffee or as a way to relax at night.
• Choose a comfortable setting: find a quiet place to write and a cozy chair. 
• Prepare your supplies: use your favorite pen, a simple notebook, or a journal that inspires you.
• Be patient: write freely and without editing to give yourself time to get into a writing flow.

Set incremental goals

• Start slow: try just 5–10 minutes of writing a few days per week.
• Grow gradually: over a few weeks, build to 15 minutes, 3-5 days per week.
• Experiment: try writing prompts and different styles of writing. 
• Stay inspired: find encouragement through online resources, journaling groups, or classes.

If you are physically unable to journal via handwriting, you can still benefit from a journaling practice by using methods such as voice dictation or typing. In both methods, the exercise of recounting past experiences and processing both positive and negative emotions through stories provides stress relief and boosts mood. Friends and loved ones can also assist you in recording thoughts and stories in a journal, and the time shared can deepen your relationships.

Journaling types for seniors

There are many different journaling methods that have positive health benefits for older adults. Some of the most common are:

• Gratitude journaling
• Expressive writing
• Bullet journaling

Gratitude journaling

Gratitude journaling is the easiest and most versatile type of journaling, and a great place for beginners to start. It consists of writing down thoughts and feelings of appreciation on a regular basis. Gratitude practices of any kind boost feelings of joy and reduce feelings of depression. 

There isn’t a specific length or time limit to gratitude journaling. People who report the best results incorporate reflections on how gratitude improves their lives and the lives of others, and are consistent in maintaining a gratitude practice. Try creating a gratitude list of 3-5 things you’re grateful for, and reflect on specific ways they improve your life. If you do it every morning or evening you’ll be on your way to developing a positive new habit.

Expressive writing

Expressive writing is of the most well-studied journaling methods. It consists of writing about difficult thoughts and feelings associated with an issue in your life. While you may have to face uncomfortable feelings at first, people who practice this type of journaling report lower stress, better mental and physical health, and require fewer trips to the doctor.

To get started, plan to write for 15-20 minutes about an issue in your past or present. Explore how it has affected your life and relationships, and write as deeply as you can about your thoughts and feelings on the matter. You can revisit the same topic or explore different ones. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself as you progress through this challenging but rewarding practice.

Bullet journaling for seniors

Bullet journaling is a system for organizing thoughts, tasks, and plans in a single notebook.

Although it has grown in popularity over the past decade, there isn’t enough clinical research on the system as a whole as far as health benefits go. However, its core components such as task lists, and planning are effective in reducing stress and improving mood, cognition, and memory. Bullet journaling also incorporates goal visualization and tracking, habit building, and reflection, all of which support a sense of accomplishment and greater life purpose.

Based on this evidence, seniors who incorporate elements of bullet journaling into their writing can benefit from better organization, an improved sense of accomplishment, and greater satisfaction in doing so. Topics to consider in a bullet journal for seniors can include tracking energy and mood throughout the day, diet, exercise, sleep, and social activities.

Journaling prompts for seniors

Below are prompts geared toward older adults, using the journaling methods mentioned in this article. Also included are a few prompts to boost creativity and inspiration for a more personalized approach to journaling.

Gratitude journaling prompts for expressing appreciation

• What are three things I’m grateful for today and why do they matter?
• Who is someone I appreciate but rarely thank? What would I say to them?
• What personal strengths can I acknowledge about myself?
• What is one thing I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and why?
• What is something my past self would be proud of today?

Expressive writing prompts for facing difficult thoughts and emotions

• What event or experience is weighing on me right now?
• What emotions are present as I think about it?
• What part of this situation feels the hardest, and why?
• How has this experience changed the way I see myself or others?
• If this challenge had a lesson for me, what might it be?

Bullet journaling prompts for seniors to set and track goals

• Weekly Reflection: What were my top three priorities this week, and did I meet them? Why or why not?
• Mood Reflection: What mood did I record most often this week? What patterns do I notice?
• Habit Tracker: Which habit is hardest for me to maintain, and what small adjustment could make it easier?
• Energy Check-in: What task or situation energized me today? What drained me?
• Planning: What is one meaningful thing I want to accomplish in the next month?
• Self-Care Inventory: What is one thing I did for my physical, mental, or social health today?
• Goal Reflection: What roadblocks did I face this week, and what did I learn from them?

Personal journaling prompts to boost creativity and fun

• What new hobby would I like to try?
• What am I curious about or wanting to learn more about?
• What surprised me today or made me laugh?”
• How would I describe myself in this moment of life?
• What is one thing I wish I could tell my past self?
• What value, lesson, or story do I want to pass down to future generations?

Journaling as a therapeutic practice for seniors

While there are many benefits of journaling, it is not a standalone therapy for those with a clinical mental health diagnosis. Instead, it’s recommended as an addition to mental health therapy. Seniors who experience anxiety, depression and prolonged grief can benefit from a combination of therapy and journaling to improve treatment outcomes. In fact, mental health has been shown to improve in patients who journal about gratitude. 

Journaling while seeing a therapist can help patients process emotions that come up in sessions and reinforce concepts learned. Seniors and caregivers can jot down questions to discuss in future sessions and map out goals in a journal. Journaling can also be a valuable tool for senior caregivers, especially those who struggle with difficult feelings related to caregiver guilt.  

From its positive effects on mental health, brain functioning, and physical health, to its contribution to a greater sense of accomplishment and life purpose, it’s clear that journaling is a worthwhile and valuable activity for seniors. As you grow your journaling practice, you’ll have a record of many milestones to celebrate and memories to cherish for years to come.

How Sailor Health can help seniors strengthen mental health

If you or a loved one is seeking mental health support, Sailor Health can help. We specialize in virtual therapy for older adults experiencing a variety of mental health concerns, and most of our Medicare patients pay little or nothing out of pocket. Get started today by connecting with a therapist, and start receiving support in as little as 24 hours. 

References

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