A steady stream of research shows that jotting down emotions about illness eases symptoms in an astonishing variety of conditions, including cancer, high blood pressure, asthma, and arthritis. “If you’re true to yourself and write down honest feelings, expressive writing works as a cathartic to release bottled-up stress,” says researcher Susan Bauer-Wu, DNSc, of Harvard Medical School.

In her most recent study of 171 women with breast cancer, Bauer-Wu found that those who wrote for 4 days had a decrease in doctor visits months later. In other studies, expressive writing reduced pain, headaches, and fatigue, and even boosted immunity.

Try it: Write about positive and negative feelings for 20 to 60 minutes, 3 or 4 days a week.