August 17, 2026
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Some people use a type of therapeutic journaling known as a 'brain dump' to release worries.
The summer months can be a time to relax and get away, but worries don't know when to take a vacation. That is why a journaling technique called a brain dump may be useful to people who find it hard to get a break.
A brain dump involves getting thoughts down quickly on paper or on a computer, without censoring them. It's a stream-of-consciousness process meant to free the mind. The idea is that unloading anxieties in a brief but take-charge manner can help people, at least temporarily, put their worries on a shelf to start the day fresh or quiet their minds for sleep.
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Luciana Paulise, an executive coach based in Houston, described brain dumping in Forbes last year as a way to get "immediate relief from mental clutter."
"It helps shift your brain from a heightened state of stress or anxiety, governed by the amygdala, into a more reflective and calm state, reducing stress and promoting clarity," she said.
There is little evidence-based information about the benefits of brain dumping, but studies suggest that therapeutic journaling can help alleviate stress and anxiety and improve a sense of well-being.
A 2018 study found that, over 12 weeks, journaling three times each week for 15 minutes at a time was linked to greater resilience and reduced anxiety and stress.
A 2022 research review suggested that people who journaled on a regular basis experienced a 5% reduction in mental health issues. Journaling seemed particularly helpful to people with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Also, a very small and limited study from 2021 showed that performing a brief brain dump reduced students' cognitive load – the effort being used in working memory – and improved their ability to focus on learning. But more research is needed to prove the efficacy of brain dumping.
Some people find brain dumping to be a useful way to help put aside worries, at least temporarily. Here are steps for doing a brain dump:
Pick your medium: Choose whether to journal on paper or by using a laptop, phone or other device.
Decide when to brain dump: If worries and stress are worst in the morning, that might be the ideal time for a brain dump. Others find the technique useful as a midday reset. Some people like to do a brain dump at night to try to stop racing thoughts and improve sleep.
Choose a peaceful setting: Some people find it useful to do a brain dump in the same place — a quiet bedroom, a special nook in the house, a spot in the backyard or a park bench.
Limit the time: It can be helpful to set a phone alarm for a specific amount of time for brain-dumping sessions. Five minutes is a reasonable length for people who are just starting to journal.
Write freely: There are no rules for how to dump out the brain. Some people make lists. Other people write stream-of-consciousness style. Punctuation and editing isn't necessary. The writing itself should not be stressful but free-flowing.
