Take Care of Yourself Beloved, we have been breathing together for almost two years. The Truth and Action Roundup began as a response to the threat of election subversion in 2024. Week after week, we have shared truth, ways to engage in resistance and moments of reflection and prayer. Thank you for returning week after week. We are in this together. I have to admit: I have not been focusing on my breathing these last few weeks. I have been so busy doing the work and anticipating my next task that I forgot to breathe. Yesterday, someone asked me what I am doing this weekend to take care of myself before Election Day. I honestly hadn't considered it. I had to pause. Nothing came to mind. I mean, nothing. The very first Deep Breath entry came from a column I wrote on Oct. 31, 2024, titled "This Election Is Critical. So Is Taking Time to Rest." Here are some reminders, lightly updated, that I had pushed to the back of my mind: Rest is a powerful and essential tool we often overlook when overwhelmed. God has gifted us with an incredible nervous system that alerts us when we are taking in too many stimuli. For example, if you've ever caught yourself doomscrolling and feeling anxious about the state of our democracy, you may have experienced heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches, difficulty focusing, or increased irritability. These are all signs of being overwhelmed; our bodies will tell us when they need a break. Unfortunately, many of us — myself included — have learned to ignore these alarms inside us. When I worked as a nurse, we called this alarm fatigue, or the subconscious tendency to tune out lower-level monitor alarms when they go off repetitively in error, such as when a patient shifts in bed, or a heart rate monitor becomes loose. In our daily lives, we might ignore these alarms because we're on a deadline, or because we have this passion for helping people in need that often results in us burning the candle at both ends. In both nursing and our daily lives, when we ignore the minor alarms, we train our nervous system to ignore all alarms, including the critical ones telling us to rest. We then cannot recognize when something is wrong. This long election season has created the perfect environment for alarm fatigue. Prolonged stress takes a physical toll on our bodies, keeping us in a constant state of heightened awareness — what we call "fight-or-flight" mode. During this state, our brain releases chemicals like adrenaline, dopamine, and cortisol to help us react quickly. Unfortunately, keeping these chemical levels high for too long harms our bodily functions and well-being. We get stuck in a vicious cycle that can increase anxiety, depression, blood pressure, and heart rate. The good news is that God has given us tools to help our bodies reset — tools we can't buy on Amazon. We can stop this vicious cycle by including cycles of rest in our daily lives, especially as we hold on just a little while longer during the uncertainty after Election Day. Resetting our nervous system doesn't mean we must take a two-week vacation to Iceland to experience the geothermal hot springs (although, hey, it wouldn't hurt). Rest also means more than just taking a nap for 30 minutes. Rest can mean practicing breathwork for a minute as you shift tasks. It can look like creating boundaries, allowing for a few minutes of buffer between online meetings. Rest can look like looking out your window at the trees across the street. In the words of musical artist George Clinton, rest can look like dancing "your way out of your constrictions." Rest can be whatever you need to shake off the feelings of dread that this election season has created. Did you know that the simple act of slow, deep breathing for a minute can decrease the cortisol in our bodies that causes anxiety? We tend to hold our breath when stressed, which increases cortisol. Slow, deep breaths blow off carbon dioxide and increase the oxygen to our brains, which begins to regulate our nervous systems. Try it! There are apps like Calm and Headspace that can guide you in breathing. Rest also includes prayer. Research has shown physiological benefits of worship, like lowered blood pressure and heart rate and improved mental health. Prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving go a long way during the day. It is easy to forget the most basic discipline of our faith when we move into a cycle of despair. Rituals of prayer, both in solitude and in community, help the soul rest in God's amazing love. So, back to that question. This weekend, I am going to spend some simple time with family and friends. It is not grand, and it does not need to be. I invite you to do the same: Before Tuesday, name one way you will rest. Write it down. Tell someone. Then breathe with me, in for four counts and out for six. We can hold on a little while longer, together. Rev. Moya Harris, Senior Director of Programs, Sojourners
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