Do you feel like you have to keep up with all the news all the time, even if it stresses you out? A lot of us do, so we get constant news alerts on our phones, in addition to watching the news on TV and reading it online. And the thing is, bad news is basically the only kind of news we hear, except for the occasional feel-good story thrown in.
That’s one reason the news can be so stressful, negatively affecting our mental health. But consuming the news can also impact us physically, by activating the sympathetic nervous system. That causes our bodies to release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can lead us to gain weight, and so can snacking from stress eating to calm down.
So what can we do to break that cycle? Try a “news diet” by making some key changes:
- Recognizing that watching news adds to your anxiety is a good start.
- Limit your news consumption to one show, or reading the news online once a day.
- Turn off news alerts, or limit how many you get.
- Pay attention to how you handle stress and anxiety. Look for healthy ways to deal with it, like stretching, going for a walk, or cooking a nutritious meal.
- Explore positive news. Find sources with uplifting content (including our GOOD News section).
Source: Psychology Today
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