First of all, I was intrigued by the idea of shifting the journaling process to a digital space rather than pen-and-paper. Despite the fact that handwriting is considered to be the most valuable in terms of therapeutic effect, digital journals may help eliminate excuses such as “I don’t have an appropriate notebook” or “what if someone discovers my pathetic thoughts.” Jour is not alone in this market space; there are numerous options available on the market.

To keep it consistent, modern apps ping you with a gentle reminder so you don’t miss the daily ritual. What also simplifies the process is that some of them have a set of questions that guide you through writing, helping you get rid of a journaling block. Another essential thing for me was privacy, so I took the time to ensure that Jour has an encryption key that stays on my phone.

Once the app was installed, I allocated two weeks for the experiment and embarked on the self-exploring journey. In preparation, I read numerous studies to strengthen my intention and found out that journaling not only reduces stress, but impacts the entire immune system. Researchers in New Zealand conducted a test that revealed a correlation between expressive writing and wound healing. The study suggests that journaling decreases cortisol levels, which gives a boost to immunity and helps heal wounds faster. Another experiment showed that a group of students who wrote about traumatic events in their lives had better response to the hepatitis B vaccine rather than another group that jotted down more mundane things like daily plans and activities. What amazed me the most is that in both studies, subjects had to keep a journal only for 3-4 days in a row. If even short term journaling can improve your immune response, I wondered what a 14 day experiment would do? Nothing less than immortality. 

But before recounting the benefits the practice brought to my life, I should confess that I wasn’t able to keep it 14 days in a row. To be honest I completed 7 journal entries, using the app on average once every two days.  In-app statistics show how many words you have written, your current streak (the number of times you’ve practiced two or more days in a row), and a calendar with mood markers. The first and most obvious benefit of journaling which I noticed almost immediately was the ability to fall asleep faster. Numerous articles link to a study by Baylor University suggesting “bedtime writing.” The research concludes that writing “to-do” lists in bed fosters falling asleep. Although my improvised experiment isn’t as official as the one done by Baylor’s Sleep Neuroscience Laboratory, I dare to assume that writing down disturbing thoughts can also free up your mind and accelerate drifting off. Even 5 minutes of journaling before bed allowed me to avoid endless ruminating about the past day and have a better night’s sleep. 

Another hidden gem of journaling is self-awareness. Before starting each entry in the app, I was asked to choose today’s mood, and this part suddenly turned out to be the most challenging. Let’s be honest, the last question you ask yourself before bed isn’t “what am I feeling now?” More likely, it would be “what did I forget to do and should I move it to tomorrow’s to-do list?” This little practice has actually helped me identify my feelings with a wider range than just “okay.” Surprisingly, I had neither “great” or “bad” days within the experiment, but even spotting “okay” and “not great” feelings and what caused them was life-changing, and I’ll tell you why.