Take Control of Your Mind and Take a Break from the News

Stop consuming mental junk food and reduce your stress with "news fasting."

Back in old days, people watched the six o' clock news or the ten o' clock news. Nowadays, we are bombarded with news twenty-four-seven.

Recently I found myself stressed out, caught up in the drama of the news. I remembered some advice I had heard a few years back from Dr. Andrew Weil. He said, "just stop watching the news."

Wait, what? We have to watch the news - to stay informed - right? No. You have the right NOT to subject yourself to the news. The media rarely reports all the good things happening in world. They like to dish out the bad news, and we become addicted, compelled to watch.

Dr. Weil says: "A number of studies have shown that images and reports of violence, death and disaster can promote undesirable changes in mood and aggravate anxiety, sadness and depression."

His advice? Take a news fast. That's right. Detox your mind by cutting out the "mental junk food." Try it for a few days and observe your mood, and notice how you interact with others. You'll likely feel better, mentally and physically.

So turn off that TV, hide your news app on your phone, and don't click on that Facebook news story. Don't worry, if anything important happens, you'll hear about it.

Now, I'm not saying bury your head in the sand and become apathetic. Just try the news fast and see how you feel. Maybe notice the compulsion to check the news. Do you really need to check? The idea here is to notice that you don't always need to "be informed."

Maybe you can you incorporate periodic news fasts into your life. Why not try it? Remember, what you feed your body and your mind affects you. Give yourself a break. Try a news fast today!

Also - check out my post on reducing stress by reprogramming your mind.