The pandemic has left women more anxious and tired than men, says this survey

This pandemic has proven to be physically and mentally exhausting. From the youth to the older generation, it has added stress to everyone’s life. An effect which not many anticipated has been the one on everyone’s mental health. Medical experts and agencies have been consistently harping upon the mental health effects of the pandemic.

Many experts have talked about anxiety and stress becoming regular features in everyone’s lives. To understand how much it has affected the global population, a survey was conducted. Its results note that women have taken the biggest hit to their mental health due to covid-19.  

Here’s what the 7th Fold Gender Survey 2020 revealed about mental well-being
You will be stunned to know the percentage of women who are actually going through a mental health upheaval. According to the survey, a significant percentage of women have reported facing anxiety (49%) and tiredness (46%) versus 29% for men on both counts. 

What’s more, approximately 44% of women felt that their mental well-being had been impacted due to the pandemic while only 32% of men felt so. Clearly, the pandemic has impacted men and women differently.

There isn’t a significant difference in the mental well-being score for both the genders, but more women seem to have reported issues with their emotional well-being than men.

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Women and men differ in the way they are coping with the stress caused by the pandemic. 

Other notable gender differences were seen in the areas of:

• Binge eating (26% for women/ 14% for men)
• Difficulty in sleeping (32% for women/ 23%  for men)
• Concern about one’s own as well as the family’s mental well-being (31% for women / 22% for men)
• Being overcritical of self/others (28% for women/ 13% for men)
• Work life balance disturbance (34% for women/ 22% for men).

On the other hand, 19% of men were most concerned over being laid off versus nine per cent women. What’s more, 11% of these men increased their alcohol consumption and smoking versus only two per cent of the women.    

The 7th Fold’s Employee Well-being Survey from the Lens of Gender and Generation in the New Normal, 2020 highlights the impact of the current pandemic on the mental and physical well-being of employees in India. Here, too, women appear to have been more impacted than men due to the ongoing pandemic. 

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The survey conducted in July and August with 509 respondents across metros, cities, and diverse sectors aimed to recognise the distress faced by employees during these uncertain times and understand the role of organisation support along with benefits in the new normal.

“It is a well-known fact that physical and mental well-being are correlated. One cannot be managed at the expense of the other. The work-from-home concept due to COVID-19 was literally adopted overnight by employers creating a whole new set of challenges for employees across genders.

Organisations need to have women-centric work-life balance workshops and women-centric webinars to address their emotional well-being. Finally, they need to invest in the holistic well-being of all employees with health initiatives that directly impact organizational productivity and revenues,” said Hamsaz Wadhwani, founder and chief executive, The 7th Fold. 

Startled to see the figures? Well, here’s what you can do to keep your mental health in check amidst the covid-19 pandemic:

1. Exercise: It is a great way to channelize your energy and to stay in control. You can start with simple and low-impact exercises like skipping, jumping jacks, brisk walking, and yoga.

2. Meditation and deep breathing: They are the two most significant tools to keep your mental health in check given the combination helps you keep calm.

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3. Eat well: Having a nutritious diet amidst the pandemic is not just important for your immunity but also for your overall health. Only a healthy body can support a stress-free mind.

4. Indulge in a hobby: We have been sitting at home for almost seven months. It can be extremely boring and lead to overthinking. So, focus on a hobby of your choice and devote an hour to it daily in order to break the monotony.

5. Self-love: Pamper yourself! Go for a hot shower, try out a nice face pack, and don’t feel guilty about a good sleep session. Basically, do whatever comforts you.

Ladies, try these simple hacks to keep all that stress at bay.