How to escape 2024 election stress in Nashville
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With days to go before the presidential election, America is stressed.
Why it matters: Pitched partisanship, razor-thin margins, political violence and a barrage of ads have measurable health effects, including high levels of stress-related hormones in the body that can lead to weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.
State of play: Experts say the emotional reactions to rallies, debates and nonstop ads transcend generalized anxiety — already the most common mental health diagnosis in the U.S.
By the numbers: More than one-third of 1,700 marriage and family therapists surveyed in September described the election-related stress as "more severe" compared to other types of anxiety.
- Almost half of the therapists surveyed by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists described excessive worry and strained family relationships as byproducts of election stress.
- The toll in the last three cycles has been especially hard on younger voters.
- 32% of Americans ages 18-34 reported feeling both nervous and scared about the upcoming election in a poll from American University published last month.
Yes, but: This weekend offers us a chance for some self-care in the calm before the political storm in Nashville.
- It will be sunny and unseasonably warm here, so a bevy of indoor and outdoor activities are on the table for anyone looking to decompress.
The big picture: Here are some of our suggestions for finding a moment of inner peace this weekend.
🍁 Drive on the scenic route: It's the ideal time of year for a long, winding drive down the Natchez Trace Parkway, which offers breathtaking views of the fall colors.
- Closing your trip with a biscuit at The Loveless Cafe is the perfect way to treat yourself.
🦅 Embrace nature: Radnor Lake State Park offers 1,368 acres of tranquility in South Nashville. There are miles of trails for hiking and watching wildlife, and you might catch a glimpse of a bald eagle.
🎷 Music, man: We've written a lot about Nashville's eclectic music scene, and this weekend could be the time to discover something new.
- Try Rudy's Jazz Room in the Gulch, which brings a bit of the New Orleans jazz scene to Music City.
🇺🇸 Take a civics lesson: If you want to embrace patriotic themes, plan ahead and buy a ticket to see "What The Constitution Means to Me" at the Darkhorse Theatre. The emotional and incisive play was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in 2019.
- Performances of this production start on Nov. 8.