Apparently, before technology, the need to type was with us wherever we went (including the bathroom). We were already on the right track writing with just a pen and paper.

People sent each other letters, and businesses did as well. Epic diary entries were made.

But things changed when mobile technology and computers became commonplace. Typing is easier, and it's faster, less error-prone, and easy to correct.

Writing Using A Pen And Paper, On The Other Hand, Is A Time-Consuming Process

But while our growing appetite for technology that makes writing easier might be satisfied by the convenience this technology offers, the needs of our brains are not.

Apparently, when you write personal and emotion-fueled pieces, you have an easier time coming to terms with your feelings. This is nothing new, and it has been called the "writing cure" since the 80s.

Like me, you are probably wondering what the dosage for this writing cure is.

Apparently, if you write every day for about 15 to 30 minutes, then your mental and physical wellbeing will have received some vital benefits.

What Benefits, You Ask?

Obvious benefits include improved immune function and decreased signs of depression.

But is this to say typing can give you none of these benefits? It can, but it does not beat traditional writing.

Virginia Berninger, a professor emerita of education at the University of Washington, explained this very clearly, and here is what she had to say:

"When we write a letter of the alphabet, we form it component stroke by component stroke, and that process of production involves pathways in the brain that go near or through parts that manage emotion."

Does typing offer the same experience? No, because you don't have to form each letter stroke by stroke as you do when writing with a pen.

A task that involves the hand on the level that traditional writing does makes the parts of the brain connected with learning more active.

And they also found out one other thing. Writing by hand enhances learning and cognitive development in a way a keyboard can never achieve.

Nobody Is Saying You Have To Ditch Your Keyboard

We obviously can't go back to the days when you had to write everything manually. We are way past that.

But every once in a while, ideally once every day, try to write using a pen and paper about what you are feeling. In the process, you will find that you will have reduced your stress levels, improved your ability to fight against illnesses, and enhanced your brain's ability to learn.

A computer keyboard will never give you these benefits, at least not as much as writing with a pen on paper can.

So, it's time to bring back writing using a pen and paper.