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"PinterestFacebookDo you find yourself clenching your fists or gritting your teeth during the evening news? And how about all those political signs and emails from the &amp;quot;other&amp;quot; camp--do they get under your skin? Stress and anxiety brought on by the election season is real, says one expert, and it can have health consequences, too. Are you letting the candidates affect your health?\nDemocrats and Republicans, here&amp;#39;s where you can agree: The election season is as exciting as it is nerve wracking, especially when you feel passionate about one side or another. In fact, one recent study, reported by CNN, found that traffic accidents spike on election day (one explanation: we&amp;#39;re feeling anxious!).\n&amp;quot;Given that every day there&amp;#39;s more and more news to add to our concerns, anxiety rates are increasing,&amp;quot; says psychologist Ronald Frederick, the author of Living Like You Mean It: Use the Wisdom and Power of Your Emotions to Get the Life You Really Want (Jossey-Bass, 2009). &amp;quot;Prolonged concern, worry and distress is detrimental to one&amp;#39;s mental health and needs to be managed.&amp;quot; Here are some strategies he reccomends for turning anxiety down a notch, even when your candidate is failing in the polls:\nPut Your Hand Over Your Heart. OK, it sounds a little out there, but Frederick says &amp;quot;simply placing a hand in the center of our chest over our heart can stimulate the vagus nerve and soothe the rhythms of our heart. This strategy may especially be effective if combined with deep breathing and visualization.&amp;quot; Trying it today!\n__Think About Your Man, Not the Debates:__Take your mind off politics a bit, says Frederick, and think about your guy. &amp;quot;Research shows that calling to mind positive mental images of a loved one releases oxytocin--a neurochemical that decreases the release of stress hormones--into our system.&amp;quot;\nStart Ringing Doorbells: Well, not exactly. But, Frederick says that getting involved in your political party&amp;#39;s campaign might just be the best medicine. &amp;quot;It will help you feel more in control, good about doing something to make a difference, and will put you around other like minded people which can be validating, affirming, and comforting.&amp;quot;\nLet&amp;#39;s talk about this: Are you feeling election-induced stress? If so, what&amp;#39;s bringing it on? Fear that your candidate might not get elected? Anger about attack ads from the other party? And, feel free to share how you&amp;#39;re voting, if you want--especially as it relates to the candidates&amp;#39; health care plans.\nPhoto: iStock"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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