How News Consumption Impacts Your Mental Health

Consistent exposure to news can elicit a stress response that's detrimental to our health.

Let's take five minutes to see this week in a new light. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind How News Consumption Impacts Your Mental Health   Though they do come with perks, smart devices, social media, and television tend to overwhelm us with a non-stop stream of alarming news coverage. Even when we actively try to avoid doomscrolling or limit our news consumption, it can be difficult to bypass jarring headlines and upsetting reports. Unfortunately, this consistent exposure to news can elicit a stress response that's detrimental to our health.   News has never been more available, being updated on a minute-by-minute basis. News will find you even if you're not looking for it,"  — RAFFAELLO ANTONINO, PSYD     How News Impacts Our Well-Being Reading or watching the news activates our sympathetic nervous system—AKA our "fight or flight" response. While this helps keep us safe in situations where we need to act quickly, a consistent barrage of stress-inducing news can take a toll on our body.   Research tells us that repeated activation of this stress response can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, anxiety, and addiction.   Also, news tends to ignite in us all sorts of emotions ranging from anger to frustration to grief to lack of control. This can impact our mood greatly and distract us from our daily obligations.  Finding Balance Though being aware of current events is important, there's a fine line between being informed and being so inundated that your mental health and daily life is impacted. If the latter occurs often, it's a sign that you need to step back and reassess your news consumption.   "Having all the information about what's happening in the world means nothing if this information is causing you to feel anxious, angry, or depressed," says Natasha Bryant, LCSW. "Your self-care is much more important because that is what's going to help you respond to the information in healthy ways." Tips for Limiting News Consumption Signs of news obsession include constantly checking updates, keeping the news running in the background all day, and struggling to complete tasks due to being distracted by updates and reports. You may also experience feelings of anger, worry, frustration, sadness, and depression.   Here are a few ways you can limit your consumption:   Turn off push notifications on your phone. Keep the TV off if you're not actively watching it. Pick a couple times in the day to read/watch the news and limit this time to less than an hour total. Keep your phone out of reach before bed and during the workday. Engross yourself in other hobbies and activities during times when you'd scroll through your phone or watch the news.   On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week Ways to Nurture Your Mind and Body  Today, take 15 minutes to assess your current relationship with the news cycle. How often do you find yourself reading headlines or watching the news, and how do you feel afterward? Write down three ways you can create healthy boundaries around the news and stick to those for the week. Note how you feel with these adjustments. Swap in a craft or ritual during a time you'd typically check the news. For example, try a 10-minute yoga routine in the morning instead of picking up your phone, or dive into a stress-relieving craft in the evening when you'd usually turn on the TV. Don't forget to take time for yourself during the week. The Calmbox is a monthly subscription service that delivers a mindful curation of six to eight items that will help you relax. Plus, a percentage of the proceeds is donated to charity. If you're looking for more ways to unplug and reduce your dependence on technology, try some of these digital detox products.       This Week on The Verywell Mind Podcast   On tomorrow's episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I talk with NFL Reporter Jay Glazer about how to fight depression. Tune in to hear his strategies.   Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / RSS Read These Next How Does Social Media Play a Role in Depression? READ NOW Should I Respond to Negative Comments on Social Media? READ NOW A Cost of Too Much Technology: Video Gaming Disorder READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH MEREDITH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2022 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy