One bipartisan issue this Election Day? No one wants to puke.
But with stress and anxiety over such a high-stakes race sending Americans running to the pharmacy’s stomach aisle, a psychologist says there are a few techniques that can calm your tummy as it flips, twists, and crawls up into your throat while you’re watching the results come in.
“Your mental and digestive health are deeply connected, particularly in stressful times,” Oshi Health‘s lead gut-brain specialist, Mariah Corneille, PsyD, told the New York Post.
“Stress isn’t just in your head. Stress can easily disrupt your gut functioning, just due to that gut-brain connection,” she added.
That can lead to a whole host of digestive issues, including diarrhea, constipation, cramps, bloating, heartburn, acid reflux and of course, nausea.
“I’ve noticed such an influx of patients, no matter where they go on the political spectrum, who are experiencing [gastrointestinal problems] because they’re anticipating the election.”
You’re not just imagining you feel sick, either: The gut has its own nervous system, Corneille explained, which responds to stressors independently of your central nervous system.
“So when we experience stress, like worrying about a major event such as this landmark election, our body’s fight or flight response kicks in,” she said, noting that that leads to the release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can disrupt digestive functioning.
“Ultimately, while we can’t control everything happening around us — like the outcome of a major election — we can control how your body responds, and taking these proactive steps can really help protect your overall well-being.”
Do some belly breathing
Corneille’s first tip is the simplest — and easy enough to do unnoticed if you’re in a room full of people.
Diaphragmatic or belly breathing involves breathing deeply into your belly for a few counts, then exhaling for a few counts on a slightly slower count.
“What happens is you’re lowering your stress hormones, you’re easing gut discomfort. It’s a simple but powerful way to settle both your mind and your stomach,” she explained.
Get grounded in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
It’s unrealistic to expect most people to just tune out on Tuesday and lower their exposure to electoral map madness, so Corneille suggests using a mindfulness technique.
“If you are following the election coverage and you’re feeling pretty overwhelmed, you can use a grounding exercise which uses your five senses,” she said.
First, mentally take note of five things you can see in the environment around you. Then notice four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
“What you’re doing is you’re bringing yourself back to the present and away from these anxious thoughts or feelings that you might be experiencing, which essentially gives your digestive system a chance to [become] settled.”
Practice thought defusion
Tip number three is a cognitive behavioral therapy technique called thought defusion.
“This is a technique that’s really helpful for when your mind is getting flooded with anxiety-provoking thoughts, like, ‘What if the candidate I support doesn’t win?’ Or, ‘What if the outcome changes everything for the worst?’” said Corneille.
Rather than ignoring the negative thoughts, this trick gives them less power over you.
“Acknowledge that a stressful thought is just that — a thought, not necessarily a fact,” she advised. “You can practice labeling the thought. So instead of saying, ‘I’m so worried about the outcome,’ you could say, ‘I’m having a thought that I’m worried about the outcome.’ And this very subtle shift can help you gain distance from the thought, reducing its emotional growth.”
You can also picture the thought as a cloud passing in the sky or a leaf floating down a stream.
“You can visualize the thought coming and going instead of clinging on to it,” she added. “You can observe your thoughts rather than getting entangled in them, and you can maintain a sense of calm and refocus on the present moment. The idea is this ultimately eases the vicious stress GI distress cycle that impacts your gut functioning.”
Finally, if things don’t go the way you want them to and that queasy feeling persists, Corneille recommends working with a GI-specialized psychologist or GI-specialized therapist to put together a personalized digestive health plan.
