It's all too much

The U.S. presidential election is looming and the stakes are sky high. With the 24/7 news cycle, plus pundits and politicians constantly barraging voters with more and more information about key issues, the opposing party and the future of the country, the never ending stream of election content makes it tough to switch off from the noise.

And after a long year of campaigning, the upcoming election is taking a big toll on our mental health. According to new research, 55% of Americans said that consuming media coverage about politics and reading interviews with the candidates is causing them heightened stress and anxiety.

In a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 Americans by Headspace and When We All Vote, a concerning 28% reported poorer mental health due to political elections and 30% said their sleep is worse because of the stress and anxiety around politics and the upcoming election. That figure jumps to 40% for Gen Z Americans. The study also found that over a third of Americans actively avoid consuming political or election-related content because they experience negative emotions – again with Gen Z most strongly affected, with 42% reporting that they actively avoid election content. And an overwhelming 75% of Americans reported that when consuming political news, misinformation has been a worry.

So what’s the link between election related media and high stress levels? It’s called election burnout.

“Election burnout is when we reach the point of total overwhelm and exhaustion due to being subjected to round-the-clock headlines and information about elections and political news,” said clinical psychologist Dr. Sophie Mort.

“It affects our sleep, mood and relationships. Cynicism and........

© Forbes