Here are four ways to cope with the stressful news cycle, according to two leading psychology experts.
. She says news outlets have a tendency to report the same information over and over again, which isn't beneficial for some people.
"[T]ry to turn the cable news off once you start hearing the same stories start to repeat," Garfin says. She suggests listening to a daily news podcast from a trusted news source to get your information, and agrees with Sperling's recommendations to avoid graphic images or videos and limit your exposure time. For Garfin, a healthy maximum limit of news consumption is roughly 20 to 30 minutes per day.Feeling sad — and a little anxious — about the news coming out of Ukraine is normal, says Garfin.
That means getting enough sleep and exercise, staying connected with friends and family and engaging in other practices that you find comforting — from meditation or yoga to prayer or even just watching a movie.Finding ways to donate or volunteer your time — in this case, that could mean doing something to help Ukrainian refugees — is another way to help reduce stress and manage your mental health.
Garfin agrees."[M]any people find being of service to others helps them feel better [about] themselves during times of difficulty," she says.