Editor’s note, November 3, 2026, 3 pm ET: This article was originally published in 2024 and has been updated for the 2026 midterm elections.

If you’re heading to the polls today, you may be among the 30 percent of American voters who say the country’s political situation is the biggest source of stress in their lives right now, according to one poll. This unease makes sense, given how high the stakes are: Americans are voting for representatives who will make decisions about affordability , healthcare , and holding President Donald Trump to account .

Elections are common wellsprings of anxiety because they’re rife with uncertainty, says David H. Rosmarin , the founder of the Center for Anxiety . You’re unsure of the outcome, and unsure of what life may look like for you under a new administration, especially when the difference between the two choices is undeniably vast. Some of the proposed policies may threaten people’s safety and freedoms, resulting in even more anxiety.…