People open text messages 98% of the time, according to a Forbes study. That could help explain why the average American gets 13 campaign texts or phone calls per week. Campaign content also reaches people through their TVs and day-to-day conversations.
"Cumulatively, I think they have a huge energy toll," Scanlon said. She pointed out that election season piles onto lives that are already busy.
The toll hits people both cognitively and emotionally. Prolonged stress can affect sleep, energy, appetite and more. "You're in fight, flight or freeze," she said.
Her advice starts with admitting the stress and dropping the shame around it. Instead of staying glued to the phone or the TV, she suggests meditation, extra sleep, exercise or time with friends and family. Ideally, those conversations skip the elections. "It looks different for every person, but it has to start with checking in," Scanlon said.
She also says anxiety often centers on what people can and can't control, so taking action helps. Volunteering, attending a rally or voting all give that anxiety somewhere to go.
Her prescription for a phone that won't stop buzzing starts with one question: how are you feeling, and what will you decide to do about it?