Everyday anxiety can lead to sleepless nights—so ratchet that up to existential fear about the future of democracy, and it’s probably safe to assume you’re not going to get much shuteye on Election Night.
According to a recent American Psychological Association survey, 25% of adults have already lost sleep over the U.S. presidential election, even before it skidded into its feverish final hours. Experts report hearing pretty much the same. “I see nine clients a day, and the election comes up in six of those sessions,” says Alex Banta, a therapist in Columbus, Ohio. “It’s been on everyone’s minds, and it’s completely normal to struggle with sleep leading up to such a big election.”
Of course, when we don’t get much sleep, we’re prone to heightened feelings of stress, anxiety, and crankiness. “Any time we lose sleep, we lose emotional resilience,” Banta says. “We all have an ability to maintain and control our emotions, and if you …