It's not rocket science.

Various studies have shown that journaling can help to reduce levels of depression, anxiety and stress with some studies showing that journaling can be as effective as CBT therapy. Expressing stressful situations and negative thoughts via journaling allows you to process these events in healthier ways, providing a wealth of mental health related benefits.

You might have heard phrases like "mind-body connection" before; the idea that thoughts and feelings can affect our bodily functions. Well, studies have shown journaling and expressive writing has been shown to improve physical health. Participants in various studies reported less sick days, fewer visits to the doctor, as well as objectively assessed improvements to their immune system function, lung and liver function and reduced blood pressure.

By capturing daily events in your journal you're quite literally putting your brain to work. Think of it as a simple form of brain training. Journaling creates narratives which aids in cognitive processing. While the process of writing enhances the brains ability to retain and retrieve information, boosting long-term memory function.