Inspired Life People are so stressed by this election that the American Psychological Association has coping tips -- rallies by screaming that Bill Clinton is a rapist, before Trump told Clinton to her face that she should be in jail, Americans were already seriously stressed out by this election. In August, the American Psychological Association included a question in its annual Stress in America survey about this election. It released the results of that particular query on Thursday, and it found that more than half of U.S. adults, regardless of party, felt very or somewhat stressed by the election. [Meet the dad who made Trump and Clinton play nice at the close of -- Americans. [election-stress-america.png&w=480] That the election is causing anxiety in more than half the country’s population puts it in line with other major life stressors, such as the economy, money or work, said Lynn Bufka, the APA’s associate executive director for policy. -- particularly heated, we seem to be more polarized,” she said. “Also, we can work ourselves up over what the future president could do and if we get wrapped up in a lot of what ifs, that can make us really stressed, too.” As we noted in another piece about the very real “Election Stress Disorder,” Americans have been expressing serious anxiety about a potential Trump or Clinton presidency as far back as January. One element of the elevated stress people feel is that these candidates in particular evoke stronger emotions than most politicians. -- [Feeling anxious ahead of the debate? Here’s how to cope with ‘Election Stress Disorder.’] Notably, the demographic feeling it the most are seniors. Close to 6 out of 10 people over 71 years old said they were stressed by this election. Millennials were the next most angst-ridden group. “We do know that older adults typically report lower stress levels than younger generations, so it is particularly surprising to see the reverse is the case with the election,” said Vaile Wright, a Washington, D.C.-based psychologist and member of APA’s Stress in America team. “So we can only guess as to the reasons older adults might be more likely to report election stress — one possibility is that they are concerned about the future for their children and grandchildren. Another is that the issues that are particularly -- But, here’s the good news. For people who are willing to address their election stress head on, there are real-life skills to be harnessed. For instance, Bufka said people can learn how to more actively set boundaries in conversations. It’s okay to tell people that you’d rather -- campaign] The APA outlined a few more ways to manage the stress of this election. And, if none of the below helps you cope, just keep reminding yourself there’s less than four weeks to go until it’s over. • If the 24-hour news cycle of claims and counterclaims from the candidates is causing you stress, limit your media consumption. Read just enough to stay informed. Turn off the news feed or take a digital break. Take some time for yourself, go for a walk, or spend time with -- family members or co-workers. • Stress and anxiety about what might happen is not productive. Channel your concerns to make a positive difference on issues you care about. Consider volunteering in your community, advocating for an issue you -- • Vote. In a democracy, a citizen’s voice does matter. By voting, you will hopefully feel you are taking a proactive step and participating in what for many has been a stressful election cycle. Find balanced information to learn about all the candidates and issues on your ballot (not just the presidential race), make informed decisions and wear your