This 1 Simple Act Will Make You Reconsider Watching the News Again - Here's the Surprising Reason Why!

NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room. The retired teacher says that she’s not all that interested in the latest updates, and the constant bombardment of information eventually takes a toll on her mental health.

Mentally adding up the countless hours she spent watching debates, discussion panels, and news analysis, Malveaux can’t help but feel a sense of dread each time her husband starts streaming the latest election updates. According to recent data, she’s not alone in feeling overwhelmed. A new AP-NORC/USAFacts poll finds that a significant majority of Americans can relate to her sentiments.

The poll discovered that nearly six out of 10 adults feel that the media coverage of the presidential election is excessive. Over 55% of respondents reported specifically feeling tired of hearing about the candidates, and 54% report feeling exhausted by the sheer volume of election news. Furthermore, an astounding 64% of adults admit to taking deliberate steps to consume less news in recent months.

Among the respondents, women were particularly more likely to express their dissatisfaction with the frequency and exhaustive nature of presidential election news. According to Emily Chen of the AP-NORC Center, women often reported higher levels of dissatisfaction and more frequently cited the volume of coverage as a source of frustration.

At a time when the stakes seem higher than ever, why do so many people feel driven to limit their exposure to crucial information regarding their country’s future? Chen addresses this concern by noting that this phenomenon is far from new. Rather, the perpetual information cycle — especially when election news is involved — often sparks intense emotions ranging from frustration to apathy.

Election analysts and media insiders point to several potential causes behind this trend. One plausible explanation could be the rise of 24-hour cable news programs, coupled with a constantly buzzing social media scene. In today’s landscape, discovering new information happens almost instantly, yet truly discerning quality sources can be a herculean task.

Even despite feeling overwhelmed, Chen observes that people continue to recognize the importance of staying informed about key election news. That said, it’s clear that voters are seeking out more streamlined information sources to navigate a crowded media space. Undoubtedly, staying truly informed without experiencing info-fatigue remains one of the biggest challenges voters face as they journey towards making their mark on the ballots.