A third of women are not coping well. Are you?

We’ve seen the articles about the financial cost of the pandemic. We hear that the hospitality industry, the travel industry and the clothing giants are letting go of staff as everyone else continues to work from home in pyjamas. We are aware of the negative effect on our Gross Domestic Product.

But what about our Gross National Happiness?

What impact are messages like “Stay Home, Stay Safe” having on our mental health? What are the consequences of being told it’s dangerous to hug a family member, to travel on the bus or be in our workspace. In a study published in The Lancet, it was found that the highest rise in stress symptoms was in women. 33%of women, 32% of parents of young children and 37% of 18-24 year old all admitted to feeling symptoms of stress such as insomnia, lack of concentration, problems with decision making or feeling overwhelmed.

So what can we do about it?

Generally information is key but is that the case here? There is so much fake news, conspiracy theories and fear generated misinformation that I’m not sure that the web is a healthy place for us right now. I think that now is the time to go inward. To focus on what’s happening in our inner world. If underlying health issues are the benchmark for how severely ill we get if we contract Covid-19, then our mental and spiritual health is the engine that drives our physical health.

Thankfully many people have turned to online classes for exercise, meditation, mindfulness and music. Sites like Headspace for Mindfulness, Insight Timer for meditation and inspirational talks, Ted Talks for information from actual experts and of course Youtube for free yoga and other exercise classes.

What else can we do from home? How about buying a crystal? Something like Shungite by your computer to offset all the radiation from the broadband, phones and iPads that we need in order to work. It also helps with feelings of negativity and maintains emotional stability. Smudging and clearing your home is also a good way to clear negative energy and can remove up to 99% of airborne toxins. You can use Sage or Palo Santo (make sure that it’s responsibly sourced) or for a more English herb you can use Mugwort which comes in a handy stick and is used commonly used in the Chinese Medicine practice of Moxibustion to improve the autonomic Nervous System and generally to relax the body.

There are also many alternative heath practitioners that are working online via Zoom, Skype and various other media to provide Reiki, Kinesiology, Hypnotherapy, Counselling and many other therapies.

So reach out, look inwards, ground yourself and weather the storm… you’ve got this.