Though the 2024 presidential election may be over, many woke up Wednesday with continued stress that is likely felt by many no matter who they cast their ballots for.
This year's election left voters of both major political parties feeling stressed out, with the American Psychological Association reporting that nearly 70% of Americans said it was a significant source of stress in their lives.
Whether you're celebrating or feeling anxious, one expert said it's okay to put politics on pause and practice some self-care.
“It's good to take a break from media and social media, because there's going to be a lot of content that is just going to stir people up. A lot of people engage in this doom-scrolling where they're just spending hours and hours, and it's really kind of counterproductive,” Dr. Michael Zipra of Northwestern University said.
Zipra is a psychiatrist and associate professor at the Evanston university.
With the holidays quickly approaching, Dr. Zipra said one thing you can do is make an agreement with your family and friends to keep politics off the table.
“I think a good rule of thumb is to always try to not talk about politics if possible. I know it's not always easy, but often that's the best approach, you know, and so you and your family may want to have some sort of agreement beforehand, like, hey, let's not talk about politics,” he said.
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Zipra added that exercise, walks outside, conversations with supportive friends and sleep were key to managing post-election stress. He also recommends staving off excessive caffeine and alcohol intake, and taking a break from social media.
“I think self-care in a very general sense, is very important,” Dr. Zipra said.
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