Jessica Tarlov is ‘sickeningly optimistic’ about 2024 elections

IN Cold chatBustle talks to the stars about everything health-related, from daily routine to… lifehacks for a good night’s sleep. Here is Jessica Tarlov, Bustle’s head of research and co-host of the show. Five on Fox News, talks about how she copes with election day stress.

If you’re up at 3 a.m. thinking about the election, know that Jessica Tarlov isn’t sleeping either. Even though the political strategist aims to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, she often wakes up thinking about what she said on television, how it was received or, more recently, what the world will look like after. when the election results become known.

“I feel sickeningly optimistic about the election and what the future holds,” the 40-year-old says on Monday, November 4. Democratic Voice on Fox Newsand while she’s staying calm in the hope department, that doesn’t mean her election day will be calm. “I’ll go to the studio three times on November 5th and then be there until 2am on Wednesday,” she says. “It’s really simple go, go, go, go, go and to be honest, I won’t try to control my stress at all. I thrive because of it.”

Tarlov will spend the next 48 hours cramming as much information into his head as possible. “Elections are like the Super Bowl,” she says. “I’m not trying to get rid of stress or cope with it now. I’ll try the next day.”

Below, she shares tips for coping with political news, her favorite exercise, and what she tells her husband before bed.

New York Times The headline today was “How Americans Feel About the Election: Anxious and Afraid.” What is your reaction to this?

I say this as someone who works in politics: I overwhelmingly feel that we are taking this too seriously. Obviously this has big implications for society, but you can’t let it rule your life. This is something that conservatives do better than liberals: dealing with feelings of doom and gloom about the election results.

I mean, there are certain demographics that are going to have a harder time under the Trump administration. I’m not trying to be callous about this. But the idea that the world will end if he is elected creates incredibly unhealthy behavior and makes us feel more isolated and fearful.

People are losing sleep. People are making election night plans to spend time with their friends. It feels like everyone is preparing for impact. Do you have any practices or routines that help you cope with stress?

I find that hydration is really the key to everything for me. My body behaves much better if I’m fully hydrated, and so does my mind. I also zone out from work and watch terrible TV. There is a normal tariff, a bad tariff, like Love is blindI also have a passion for Tell me a lie.

Twitter it’s my only social media platform and I’m definitely doomed to scroll through it, but I make a concerted effort to find positive content. There is content that can lift our spirits.

Do you do anything before bed that helps you fall asleep?

This is bad advice, but I go through emails and text messages. I also always tell my husband: “Are we happy?” And he always says yes to me, and I appreciate that. It is, but it’s a fantastic test of intuition. Life is difficult and challenging, especially with young children. You need to embrace the fact that life may be difficult right now, but you have a great foundation for each other.

Tell me more about waking up in the middle of the night from stress.

My mind is racing. I probably get up for an hour every night. Although I try not to touch the phone. This is one of the points of no return. To get back to sleep, I’ll try to think about how small all these moments are in the grand scheme of things (even though they) seem huge.

Since you try not to scroll, how do you feel about using your phone?

Oh, I use it all the time. I’m sure a therapist would tell me that I needed to step away (from it). But since my ability to do my job is based on consuming as much information as possible, I don’t want to limit it—just consume it in a healthy way. Although a few days ago I went for a massage.

Did this help?

It was amazing and I fell asleep, which I don’t usually do, which I think goes to show how much I needed it.

What other wellness rituals do you resort to besides massage?

I love spas and everything related to spas. I do my hair and makeup at work, so I try to spend that time interacting with the people I interact with rather than watching the news. My hair and makeup team are close friends of mine, so I’m stepping away from that for now. And then spend time with your children.

Do you have a specific evening routine?

When it comes to sleep patterns, my kids are more important than I am. I always say I’ll go read, but I always end up just watching. Tell me a lie.

Are you a coffee drinker in the morning?

No, Diet Coke is my favorite stimulant by leaps and bounds. I want to take part in the Diet Coke TikTok challenge.

I like it. Do you think you can handle them?

I’m almost sure. I could definitely (distinguish between) cans, plastic bottles, and anything flavored. I could definitely tell McDonald’s from the fountain’s façade. Some people can play Arby’s against Wendy’s, but I can’t do that.

Do you have a workout routine?

I’m a big walker. When the weather permits, I even walk to Fox (from). I live in Tribeca and we love to go on walks as a family. I work out with a trainer once a week, mostly for core and arm work, and I love SoulCycle. I actually wrote an article for Romper about crying through SoulCycle after I had my first child.

One last question: is there anything you have in mind leading up to November 5th?

There are many people on both sides who have genuine and important reasons to support the candidates of their choice. I believe in living by the principle of “do no harm” and being kind and generous to people, regardless of the outcome.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity..