The anxiety felt by many this election season is higher than ever before. Regardless of who wins these elections, about half our population is going to wake up tomorrow feeling like the world is coming to an end. With stress this high it’s extremely important to practice good holistic self-care for your body-mind-spirit. Implement a few tips from each of these categories for more peaceful election day.
Body
Move:
Stretching, going for a run, dancing, or doing yoga all help relieve your body of the stress hormone cortisol and release happy hormones like dopamine.
Hydrate:
Staying hydrated is always important, but especially when you are under stress, it is important to stay hydrated to reduce headaches and allow your body to function optimally.
Eat Well:
Stay away from the sugary comfort foods that make you feel happy for a moment. Instead, fill up on lean protein and leafy greens that give your body what it needs to feel good for the long run.
Sleep Well:
When you wake up tomorrow the chaos and anxiety will still be high in our culture. You’ll be better equipped to handle the stress when you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep of at least 8 hours. You might even be able to sleep better if you go to bed not knowing the election results. Take melatonin or valerian root to help you fall asleep if you have trouble.
Mind
Turn of the Social Media:
Stay away from facebook, twitter, and anywhere else you know you will be constantly bombarded with “news”. If you are curious about the election results pull the results tracking info up on google and let yourself check it a few times (i.e. not obsessively refreshing it every few minutes).
Aside from election night, only checking social media from a desktop or laptop instead of your phone can also help lessen endless scrolling anxiety. Delete the social media apps from your phone and set good boundaries around when and if you will check them on a computer.
Practice Deep Breathing:
Slowing down and taking deep breaths calms the mind and helps reconnect us to our bodies. Breathe in for a count of 5, hold for 5, and then breathe out for 5. Youtube has some great deep breathing exercises.
Create a Calm Environment:
Diffuse calming essential oils, light some candles for soft lighting, play soothing music, what ever you need to have a place you can go and feel safe and calm.
Tap Away the Anxiety:
Tapping exercises from EFT or CTT can help relieve the mind and body of anxiety. Follow along with this video or subscribe below to get a free download of the CTT exercise for releasing anxiety.
Spirit
Pray:
Talk to God about which ever candidate(s) you feel anxiety over. Ask Him to fill you with His peace that He is still in control no matter who our leaders are. Praying in tongues has also been found to lower cortisol levels and relieve stress.
Worship:
Spend some time turning your gaze upwards and shifting your focus from the chaos of our world to the glory of Jesus.
Pray Again:
Rather than feeling like a passive victim, engage with God in the advancement of His Kingdom. Ask Him to show you what He is doing and partner with Him in the Spirit in His agenda.