How To Soothe Your Nervous System During Election Day (and Beyond)

Tips from Somatic Therapy San Francisco

Election day is here and for many of us, this is a huge source of anxiety. Whether you have been avoiding thinking about the election or endlessly doomscrolling, your nervous system may need something more in order to cope. Here are some tips to help your body deal with the anxiety and stress of a very tumultuous and at times, downright scary, election season.

A Somatic Therapist’s Tips for Managing Your Nervous System During Election Stress

1) Plan your time wisely on the day of the election and days afterward. If you have too much or too little to do anxiety can creep in and easily overwhelm you. Make sure you plan enough activities AND adequate breaks for yourself.

2) Make sure you are taking breaks, eating (fairly) healthy, and getting enough sleep. If you are not attending to your biological needs, you will have a harder time emotionally as well. So make sure to prioritize what your physical body asks for each day.

3) Determine how much media coverage or social media you can handle. Social media algorithms are able to find ways to hook us and consequently, we spend hours on our phones. The news media wants continuing viewership—emotions like fear can keep us watching even when we want to look away. The media can often stoke those fears to keep viewer engagement. Your best bet may be to not engage in media viewership thoughtfully during the election. Make a plan for social media or media coverage, perhaps allowing yourself to watch or scroll for limited amounts of time or between activities. Remember that incessant scrolling or viewing does not change the outcome of the election and it doesn’t mean you care any less.

4) Take part in activities that you enjoy. Doing activities you like, whatever they may be, serve as a break from stress and remind us that we are capable of joy. This may also boost your mood.

5) Take some time in nature. Even just a simple walk in the park can help us slow down and breathe, activating our parasympathetic nervous system and taking our body out of flight/fight/freeze.

6) Spend time with people you care about (or furry friends!) Spending quality time connecting with the people you care about can serve as an antidote to stress. Something as simple as a hug and good conversation can make us feel less alone in whatever we may be feeling.

Lastly, remember that the reason you are anxious is that you care, likely very deeply, about the people in your lives and that is not a bad thing. It is just better to not let that caring morph into anxiety that overtakes us.

If you have more questions or are struggling with ways to regulate your nervous system, please feel free to reach out at lisa@lisamanca.com.