# Election Stress and Heart Health

> Election stress can trigger heart arrhythmias and hospitalizations, especially for those with cardiovascular disease.
- Title: Election Stress and Heart Health · The Boston Globe | Shortify
- Summary: Election stress can trigger heart arrhythmias and hospitalizations, especially for those with cardiovascular disease. Elections increase heart risks due to…
- Keywords: election day, heart arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, stress, voting, heart attack, blood pressure, news, local, Election, Heart, Health
- Source: The Boston Globe — https://bostonglobe.com/2026/11/02/business/election-day-heart-health-stress
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: election day, heart arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, stress, voting, heart attack, blood pressure, news, local
## Election Stress Impact
Elections, especially divisive ones, can stress the heart and increase arrhythmia risks.

> Your political party doesn’t matter to your heart; stress does
## 2016 Election Findings
A 77 percent higher rate of irregular heartbeats occurred during the six weeks around the 2016 election.
## 2020 Election Findings
Heart attack hospitalizations rose significantly after Election Day compared to the same period two weeks prior.
## Health Experts' Advice
Limit news and social media, prioritize sleep, take medications, and practice stress-reducing activities.
## Stress Mechanisms
Acute stress triggers fight-or-flight responses, raising heart rates and blood pressure temporarily.
## Long-Term Risks
Chronic stress is a known risk factor for heart disease over time, affecting nearly half of US adults.
## Next Steps
Researchers plan to study 2020 and 2024 elections using wearables to monitor stress impacts.
## Key takeaway

Elections increase heart risks due to stress, with higher arrhythmia rates and heart attacks in the weeks before and after voting.