Finding Stability in Unstable Times: Tips to Keep Calm and Carry On

Are you feeling like you’re stumbling through a haze of fog this week? That classic “lost in the woods” feeling where the path forward is blurry, and shadows loom larger than life? If so, you’re far from alone.

In fact, nearly 70% of Americans report that the 2024 presidential election has become a major source of stress, according to the American Psychological Association. The tension is palpable—traffic seems gnarlier, people are testier, lines stretch longer, and happy hour can’t come soon enough.

“Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it." – Kahlil Gibran

The thing is, we’re wired to feel this collective strain during times of uncertainty. Our brains tend to amplify everyday frustrations when we’re anxious about the big picture. So even if you’ve managed to keep yourself relatively calm, chances are, someone close to you—a partner, a friend, or that colleague with the edgy comments—hasn’t. And that energy, as we all know, is contagious.

Psychologist Steven Stosny, PhD, Washington, DC founder of CompassionPower, coined the term “election stress disorder” to describe the level of anxiety and obsession that many of us feel surrounded by in the tense and polarizing political climate.

A stressed brain is highly susceptible to emotional contagion; in a heightened state we’ll take on whatever negative emotions are around us. It’s normal to get caught up in the flow of high emotion, regardless of which side of the fence you’re on. But it doesn’t help your sense of safety or security. And it may lead to sleepless nights, compounding the stress state even further.

Yes, these are critical times. No, this isn’t denying the gravity of the situation. So what’s the antidote? The answer might be simpler than we think: reconnecting with a sense of normalcy, grounding ourselves in the things that don’t feel unpredictable. For some, that might mean taking a social media detox or going for a long walk by the ocean. For others, it’s doubling down on small routines, the little anchors that keep us feeling stable.

Here are five simple interventions for calming election-induced stress:

Limit post-election media consumption: Social media and news cycles can keep us in a loop of “doom-scrolling.” Stay updated without letting the news dictate your mood by shifting your news viewing to the end of the day. Yes, it’s a challenge, but studies show limiting your media consumption to less than 30 minutes a day makes a big difference in everything from stress levels to focus to sleep.
Seek supportive connections: Spend time with people who uplift you, and if needed, ask them to keep the conversation to topics other than politics – the time for influencing votes is over.
Avoid overdoing stimulants and alcohol. It’s easy to succumb to stress snacking on sugary treats, especially with leftover Halloween candy in easy reach. But sugar and caffeine have a dark side when you overdo it, as does that extra happy hour cocktail.
4. When you need a treat, opt for fresh fruit, toasted nuts or dried apple rings, or revel in the warmth of a cup of your favorite chamomile tea, sweetened with monk fruit or stevia and finished with a splash of warm milk.

5. Practice gratitude: No matter what’s going on in the world, we all have a reason to be grateful. Dig deep and tap into your personal reserve.

Using simple but powerful practices, we can keep our perspective intact—even as we navigate the uncertainty around us.

At the end of the day, none of us can control the outcome of a national election, but we can choose how we navigate the haze it leaves behind. We can be kinder to ourselves and to each other, remember that the fog always lifts eventually, so take it one day, one breath at a time.