One of the largest studies yet on the effect of stress revealed this week that three out of four people in the United Kingdom were so stressed at least once over the past year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. Women seem to be faring particularly badly. The report, commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation think tank, showed that 81 per cent of women felt unable to cope, compared with 67 per cent of men.
I can't help thinking that a study done in most parts of the world, including the UAE, would yield similar results. Long working hours, stressful jobs, harrowing daily commutes and the need to constantly remain connected, combined with financial pressures, the responsibilities of managing homes and bringing up families often without the support of traditional networks, create an environment that breeds imbalance.
This has far-reaching effects – physical and psychological – as we all know, and as the report states, chronic stress can affect sleep, memory and eating habits, among other things, and act as a catalyst for illnesses from stomach ulcers and heart disease to anxiety and depression.
"There are times when exposure to stressors becomes too frequent or too intense to deal with. If the stress response is activated repeatedly, or if it persists over time without recovery periods, the physiological effects result in cumulative wear and tear on the body," the report concludes.
Like the 81 per cent, I often feel overwhelmed and am on a constant mission to lead a more balanced life. For me, Ramadan is a chance to counter some of the ills of a stress-filled existence. For many non-Muslims, the holy month is seen as something to be borne, but over the years, I have come to see it as an invaluable opportunity to reset and reconnect. Charity, reflection, patience and being your best self – if you stop to listen, the messages of Ramadan are universal and can be valued by all.
I like to use the holy month as a time to reclaim some balance in my life. It's a kind of New Year 2.0 – a time to revisit resolutions I so ambitiously set at the start of the year and reconfigure, with the benefit of hindsight.
While it is not always possible to work official Ramadan hours in the newspaper world, the daily onslaught of emails does slow slightly, allowing for a rare bit of breathing room. Personally and professionally, it's a great time to stop and take stock.
For one, even if you aren't fasting, Ramadan is an opportunity to rethink your eating habits. I'll be making every effort to cut out sugar for the month and try to get back into cooking good, clean, wholesome meals, as opposed to my current ad hoc, pick-up-what-you-can-when-you-can approach to nutrition – another common by-product of a stressful life. Another obvious point, perhaps, but as the Mental Health Foundation report highlights, many people respond to stress with negative habits like overeating and smoking.
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Read more from Selina:
Paying tribute to the extraordinary life of my dad, the ultimate expat
Why eating meat makes me feel like a hypocrite
Phone etiquette? I need some guidelines please
After a decade, Dubai feels like it has come of age
Why social media influencers can be frustrating for journalists
Why a goodbye in the UAE can be particularly bittersweet
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Taking time to think about what you are putting into your body is a basic tenet of Ramadan and is something we could all benefit from. Gyms will be quieter, so I hope to become reacquainted with my personal trainer (we have been estranged for the best part of a year). And, hopefully, exercise classes that have become a distant memory will be revisited.
Ramadan is a time to reconnect with yourself, but also those around you. Friends who have been neglected in favour of late nights at the office; phone calls and emails that went unanswered because there simply wasn't time; loved ones who were just not given the attention they deserve; now is the time to make amends.
With fewer social engagements on the weekends, Ramadan is also conducive to a mid-year spring clean. Sorting through the mountains of stuff you’ve invariably accumulated and editing it down can be a cathartic experience. And donating everything you don’t need to charity will help get you into the Ramadan spirit.
Ultimately, Ramadan is about learning to appreciate all that we have. It’s a time to remind yourself that, however stressful and overwhelming our lives may be, there is always much to be thankful for.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Fixtures
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
Race card for Super Saturday
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m.
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m.
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Copa del Rey
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
