Latest news with #wellbeing
The Sun
37 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Aquarius weekly horoscope: What your star sign has in store for June 1
OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died in 2023 but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégé Maggie Innes. Read on to see what's written in the stars for you today. AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 18 🔵 Read our horoscopes live blog for the latest readings Striking while the creative iron is hot is your mantra for this week – while you still have smart thinking and special luck to spare, set this to work. This can mean asking for a different love-style, or home set-up. Or making a dream of a fashion or beauty business a reality. Deep inside, you recognise what you need – and you are ready to get this for yourself. Love is warmly forgiving. SUMMER STARS: What's ahead for Aquarius in summer 2025? LOVE: Your passion summer is a tantalising mix of excitement and security – this can manifest in one person, who you already know so well. But there's so much still to discover! The first week of July overflows with romantic gestures and subtle signals, so stay alert to these. LIFE: Now Jupiter's in your work and wellbeing zone, you are on a personal roll – and even goals that have daunted you before seem so doable, all summer. Fitness firsts, family choices and career highlights, are all waiting for you to claim them. LUCK: A team made up of former colleagues, a holiday introduction, and 'F' names can all carry a luck bonus. Mercury brings you lightning reactions and the ability to think fast but stay flexible. Fabulous is the home of horoscopes, with weekly updates on what's in store for your star sign as well as daily predictions.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Aussie influencer Sam Guggenheimer: Social media is a highlight reel
Influencer Sam Guggenheimer, who boasts hundreds of thousands of online followers, is urging people to protect their wellbeing by not comparing their lives to the 'highlight reels' we see on social media. The 23-year-old has opened up about the mental health struggles she has experienced since her early teens as part of New Corp Australia's Can We Talk? campaign, in partnership with Medibank. 'From depression to anxiety and overcoming an aggressive eating disorder, mental health challenges have been a constant part of my journey,' Guggenheimer said. 'They've shaped me into the person I am today. 'Although some of the darkest days felt never-ending, there was always a part of me that knew there was light at the end of the tunnel.' In a job with no set hours, thepopular podcasterwho has more than 349,000 followers on TikTok said her mental lows could manifest as fatigue, where even simple tasks felt draining and overwhelming. 'During these times, I struggle to focus, feel unmotivated, and notice a real dip in my creativity,' she said. Guggenheimer, who is based in Melbourne, said she could lose interest in usually joyful activities and sometimes felt 'stuck, just going through the motions without real purpose'. But she has been candid with her followers about her struggles — something she has found 'incredibly powerful'. 'It not only helps me feel less alone but also provides other girls with the reassurance that life isn't perfect and polished all the time — and that's okay,' she said. Australia is in the grips of a mental health crisis, and people are struggling to know who to turn to, especially our younger generations. Can We Talk? is a News Corp awareness campaign, in partnership with Medibank, equipping Aussies with the skills needs to have the most important conversation of their life. Guggenheimer said she had worked 'really hard' to improve her mental health, and found that have a strong routine was 'crucial' for maintaining a stable mindset. 'I've fallen in love with the gym and working out, and being physically active every day has truly transformed my self-esteem and my belief in my ability to overcome challenges,' she explained. Guggenheimer said with so much access to people's 'curated lives online', it was easy to fall into the trap of comparison. 'This often leads to feelings of isolation and makes it harder to form real, meaningful connections, which can take a toll on self-esteem,' she said Guggenheimer said she resonated deeply with the 'Can We Talk?' message because it encouraged tough, honest conversations. 'Being vulnerable, whether online or in real life, can feel daunting, but it also creates real connection and understanding,' she said. 'It reminds everyone that no one's life is perfect — and having these conversations can truly save lives.' Her advice to others struggling was 'be kind to yourself'. 'We are often our own worst critics and can be incredibly harsh on ourselves — in ways we would never treat another person,' she said. 'Don't beat yourself up over mistakes or imperfections; show yourself the same care and compassion you would offer someone you love.' She encouraged people to build positive and sustainable habits for their wellbeing. 'Whether it's signing up for a new gym program, going for a walk to your local cafe every morning, or setting aside time for activities you love — physical movement … releases endorphins and boosts your mood naturally,' she said. 'Lastly, lean on the people around you. 'Build and nurture your real-life relationships. 'Remember: what you see online is often just a highlight reel.'
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Summer Is Coming: What To Do If The Slowdown Isn't Showing Up At Work
For many professionals, this summer already feels different. Historically, the anticipation of summer offered an opportunity to recover after sprinting for six months. However, with economic uncertainty rising, particularly in industries facing trade tensions and regulatory shifts, summer may no longer feel like a reset. Organizations are managing leaner teams, higher expectations and heavier workloads. But even as work intensifies, the pressure doesn't stop there. For busy professionals, women especially, demands at home often rise in parallel. Coordinating childcare and eldercare, managing summer schedules or simply keeping up with shifting routines can feel like a second job layered on top of the first. The accumulation of these demands takes a toll, and year over year the impact is visible. According to Gallup's 2025 State of the Workplace report, global workforce engagement decreased, with only 21% of employees feeling engaged at work and just 33% describing themselves as thriving. Well-being has declined most sharply among women in management, who reported a seven-percentage-point drop over the past year. While this data does not isolate summer specifically, it reflects a broader strain that only intensifies during busier times. From shifting work dynamics to rising caregiving demands, this season brings new challenges. Navigating them well starts with knowing what's really at play and what to do about it. Summer break doesn't mean less work - it means a different kind of work. For working parents, the end of the school year marks the beginning of a caregiving sprint. Camps, childcare, family travel and daily logistics require time, attention and emotional labor that rarely shows up on a calendar. And unlike school, summer doesn't come with built-in structure or stability. According to Bright Horizons' 2025 Modern Family Index, 87% of working parents report challenges when their children are home during summer including interrupted workdays and the stress of managing unpredictable schedules. 68% say summer feels like a break for everyone but them. It's the kind of strain that may be invisible in daily schedules but compounds quietly - raising the risk of burnout while making recovery feel inaccessible And while the parental pressure is clear, women often carry the larger share. A 2023 Pew Research report found that in dual-income households, women continue to shoulder the majority of caregiving and household responsibilities even while working full time. That imbalance doesn't pause for summer. It intensifies. Even for professionals without direct caregiving responsibilities, summer doesn't always bring relief. When colleagues are out, the burden shits to those still online - and this certainly compounds on leaner teams. PTO becomes a puzzle of coordinating coverage, navigating deadlines and managing expectations from clients or leadership. For some, taking time off doesn't mean less work; it just means temporarily shifting the work somewhere else. And even when time off is granted, it doesn't always translate into recovery. Another Pew Research study highlighted that 46% of U.S. workers say they don't use all their paid time off. Many cite fear of falling behind at work (49%) or feeling badly about co-workers taking on additional work (43%) as reasons for not taking more time off. Particularly now, industries like retail, manufacturing, tech and even legal are managing more pressure due to evolving regulations and litigation. These sectors are navigating complex compliance landscapes, which increases workloads and make stepping away more challenging. The result is a subtle kind of burnout - the kind that comes not from intensity but from continuity. Time off is either unavailable or incomplete. Even when the calendar says, 'out of office,' the mental tabs stay open. The inbox piles up. Pings still come through. And the stress of anticipating what's waiting can turn so-called rest into another source of pressure. The season may promise flexibility, but that flexibility is often filled with invisible work. The question then becomes: how can recovery still happen, even when the ideal version isn't possible? If the slowdown hasn't come yet, it might not. Recovery can still be designed. For professionals navigating a demanding summer, small shifts in planning and mindset can offer a sense of agency - even if rest looks different this season. Here are a few strategies to make sure that by the time Labor Day hits, the question, 'How was your summer?' doesn't make you laugh - or cry. Structure can soften stress. Choose one activity each week that restores your energy - something low-effort, but high impact. A walk with a friend. A 30 minute walk. A crossword puzzle on Sunday. Schedule it like a meeting. It may not fix the week, but the ritual can help reclaim a sense of control and support well-being. Start with what's left. How many PTO days are unused? Then make a plan you can actually stick to. That might mean blocking one Friday a month now through August, or building a long weekend around a holiday. There are even sites that help you hack your vacation days. You don't need a five-day trip to make it count. Micro-vacations can be more accessible. A night at a hotel in your own city. A 90-minute train to a beach town. You don't need months of planning or thousands of dollars to feel away. Harness the quick trips that you can plan the week of and only need one bag. If you can't pause the season, at least protect one piece of it. Maybe hat means setting a 'no meetings before 10:00a.m.' rule once a week. Maybe it's pausing notifications after 7:00 p.m. Boundaries aren't selfish - they are strategic. And when you do disconnect, have a plan for it. Unplugging entirely isn't always realistic. For some people, it adds for stress. Instead of aiming for perfect silence, set parameters that actually support recovery. Maybe that means scanning your inbox once a day without replying. You know yourself best. The goal is to identify the cadence that supports your mental well-being and commit to it with intention. Summer may not slow down - but that doesn't mean it has to run you over. For professionals navigating this stretch without a built-in break, the goal isn't balance - it's capacity. Protect the moments that replenish your energy by choosing strategies that make burnout less inevitable and thriving more within reach. It's not about making the season perfect. It's about making it livable.
Gulf Business
19 hours ago
- Health
- Gulf Business
Human Garage's Garry Lineham on stress and the science of 'unwinding'
Image: Supplied In a world where stress often feels like a constant companion and true wellbeing seems elusive, meet Garry Lineham, co-founder and head of H Aaron Illathu — on behalf of Gulf Business — spoke to Lineham during his recent trip to Dubai, where he shared insights into Human Garage's philosophy, the science behind their signature 'unwinding' process, and how alignment isn't just physical — it's emotional, chemical, and spiritual too. Through Human Garage, Lineham said he and his team aim to restore humanity's natural flow, one body at a time. Here are some excerpts from the discussion. How did the Human Garage concept and 'fascial maneuvers' originate, particularly in response to your personal health journey? It started from a place of performance, particularly when my body got 'into trouble'. After 20 years of pain, I went into clinical practice and managed to get myself out of pain, but it required three to five treatments a week. When Covid-19 hit, my pain flared up again. I started doing these maneuvers, and at first, it was just about relieving my own pain and being able to do it myself. As I went through a process of unwinding and unraveling trauma and stress, I found the maneuvers consistently reduced my overall stress. I had more space, more desire to laugh, and even experienced emotional breakthroughs. I initially thought I was just fixing mechanical issues, but I soon realised the primary target was stress. This also sowed the seeds for the inception of Human Garage, which I co-founded with Cynthia Leavoy, Jason Van Blerk and Aisha Rodrique . You mentioned fascial manoeuvers significantly reduce biological stress. Can you elaborate on the impact and the scientific backing for this? Fascial maneuvers reduce 75 to 90 percent of biological stress in the body within the first 7-10 minutes. We've conducted a couple of hundred anecdotal tests, and doctors worldwide have tested it, though official peer review is still pending. The reality is, if you can remove 75 per cent of your stress twice a day, your baseline stress index drops. This increases your capacity to perform, combat issues like hormonal imbalances, improves sleep, and generally enhances measurements of lifestyle. Taking stress out became the core focus. Human Garage uses social media to engage people. How do you move people beyond seeking quick fixes for single problems towards sustained self-care? People often look for a quick fix for a single problem, like a knee or an elbow. While fixing a single problem won't work long-term, it provides immediate pain relief and builds belief in the system. As they experience relief from one pain, they try another maneuver for another. Eventually, they realize the benefit of doing a full 15-minute or 30-minute routine. Our goal is to draw people back to self-care, helping them believe that minor, consistent actions can have long-term, multi-faceted effects. You have a background in encryption and government data, where information is compartmentalised. How do you see this mirroring the structure of modern healthcare? In my background, information is compartmentalized so nobody knows the whole picture, allowing control. This is what we've done in healthcare. A hundred years ago, your doctor, psychiatrist, oncologist, OBGYN, and physiotherapist might have been the same person. Today, we have over 600 specialties, and more are emerging daily. This over-specialization leads to sending people from one specialist to another, with general practitioners, who navigate these specialists, being the lowest paid and least educated. The model is completely upside down, evidenced by the all-time high rates of dysfunction, disease, and illness. You stated that no measurement of human health is better today than it was 30 years ago. Can you expand on this? Indeed. The only thing that was claimed to be better was living longer, but health data was altered 15 years ago by removing infant mortality from the pool, making it appear we were dying younger. We are now officially dying younger. Stress, anxiety, and all kinds of allergies, especially food allergies, are up. Over half of children today are diagnosed or treated as if they are on a spectrum. If I ask an audience if they or someone in their immediate circle has a chronic illness, 95 per cent raise their hands, which wasn't true even five years ago. We're diagnosing symptoms instead of addressing underlying issues. With half the doctors worldwide having left their stations since 2020, and a massive increase in people seeking help, how does Human Garage address this crisis? We answer up to a million health questions a month through our social media channel. These aren't simple questions; they're about severe conditions like POTS or glioblastoma. People seek answers from us, Google, or ChatGPT (which has become a better diagnostic tool for them) because they can't get reasonable answers from the traditional system. We don't claim cures. Our approach is founded on the basic principle that the body heals itself. We help the body heal by giving it a better environment, reducing stress, improving movement, and breathing better. You mentioned the body is becoming more dehydrated. How does this impact health, and how do fascial maneuvers, along with other practices, address it? The average person is 60-65 per cent water today, down from 70 per cent 30 years ago, and 80 per cent before that. Our primary construct is water, which is the conduit for electricity and signaling through the fascia, connecting the nervous system, nerves, glands, and organs. When water and minerals are deficient, the signal cannot be carried properly. Our solutions are simple: mineralis e the body (addressing dehydration), clean up the environment, and move the body. Fascial maneuvers are simple, non-invasive, and work with the fascia to allow the body to make decisions and move better. How do emotional and physical trauma become stored in the body, and what does it take to truly release it? Trauma is the body's inability to resolve a triangle: an event (physical, emotional, or perceptual insult), an attached emotion (anger, grief, fear), and a story you tell yourself about it. When the body is taken out of stress, I found personally that I could look at the event from a new angle, tell a new story, which affected my emotions, and allowed the trauma to release. While talk therapy works on the story and emotional regulation on the emotion, the memory of trauma is stored in the fascia. When that connection is broken by factors like heavy metals or dehydration, the memory can't be resolved. You have a unique perspective on memory, suggesting it resides in the body rather than just the brain. Can you explain this? I believe the body is the computer, and the brain is the processor running programs. If the brain just runs the same program over and over, it's not truly intelligent. The body's real processing capacity is immense. Consider the detail with which a 112-year-old woman can recall an emotion or smell. The body is the greatest computer. If you forget a phone number, your fingers might remember it on a keyboard. The subconscious and memories are in the body; the brain is just the recall mechanism. The brain is very 'trickable', as seen in magic or advertising, but the body is not. Can you elaborate on your belief that 'we are fascia'? From conception, a baby begins as a ball of plasma (fascia). All nerves, tendons, glands, organs, and bones grow within and are connected by fascia. It's the intelligent casing that holds everything together, moves it, and facilitates communication. You can remove every bone, nerve, gland, tendon, or organ, but you cannot remove fascia. Therefore, I propose that we are fascia. Our organs and systems make no sense without this 'house.' Furthermore, I suggest fascia extends into the energy field around us, enabling rapid responses like ducking before the brain is consciously aware of a threat. We need to look at the body in a new way because the current perspective isn't working. Have you seen a shift in how mainstream medicine is viewing somatic and fascia-based healing? Absolutely, they're flocking to it. Five years ago, few Western medicine doctors followed us; three years ago, a few world-renowned orthopedic surgeons reached out. Today, many more are adopting our methods. Younger doctors, especially, are realising the old ways aren't working and are using technology to seek better answers, engaging in research as a scientist should. While Eastern medicine has historically been more inclusive, both Eastern and Western models are failing, prompting practitioners to look for new solutions. We estimate about a million practitioners globally are now prescribing fascial maneuvers daily, with a growing number being medical-related. Our recent tour across 11 countries and 40 events confirms this shift in engagement. Can you share a transformative story that particularly sticks in your mind? I was just working with actress Eva Longoria recently, and ex-footballer David Beckham also called us to work with him. I publish these transformations on social media to give people belief that it can happen, but I'm careful not to imply that I'm the only one who can do it. This whole thing is not about me. I want to do less and less of it. I love when people take care of themselves. Even if a practitioner can only do 80 per cent of what I do, it's better to have millions doing 80 per cent than just me doing 100 per cent. I've even had people offer me hundreds of thousands of dollars to fly and see them, but I typically decline unless they are committed to helping others and sharing the information. That's worth more to me than the money. What is the biggest challenge in getting people to believe in your approach, given that it sounds intellectually difficult to grasp? If I explain it intellectually, it sounds hard to believe. That's why I don't do that. Instead, I get people to do it. When you feel the change in your body instantaneously – like feeling taller or straighter after a maneuver – it's hard to deny. You can argue logic, but feeling is undeniable. I want people to develop their own belief because if it's my belief system, they'll never contribute back to the whole. The days of gurus are gone. I'm on my own journey, inspiring others, and sharing information openly. Fascial maneuvers intellectual property is free and open-source because we want to reach people fast. Read:
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
How Champneys made us fall in love with spa hotels
A wooden paddle, ice cold facial roller, essential oils and sips of warm lemon water are all key components of Champneys' latest treatment, the '100 Years Face & Body Reset'. I instantly felt the benefits: energised legs, tighter skin and shoulder knots eased. My pampering took place at the original Champneys in Tring, Hertfordshire and was inspired by the spa's century-old treatment back catalogue which neatly combines nostalgia with cutting edge, much like the hotel itself where white robes, dance classes and detoxes are offered alongside of-the-moment cryotherapy and vitamin IV drips. I suspect it's one of the reasons the brand has survived for so long on the wellbeing scene – there's something for everyone. When Champneys first opened in 1925, there was nothing else like it in the UK. Established by Latvian wellbeing pioneer Stanley Leif, his Nature Cure Resort set in 170 acres was aimed at customers open-minded and wealthy enough to invest in holistic self-care that found the root cause of ailments rather than merely treating the symptoms. Guests, once described as 'starved, irrigated and beaten, but for a good cause,' would detox for weeks on warm lemon water and little else at the red brick mansion house, while taking part in immune-boosting treatments like hot and cold plunges (sound familiar?), combined with stretching and walks in the open air. In the 1970s global spa specialists Tanya Wheway and her late husband Allan were invited to manage Champneys, successfully transforming the brand from elitist holistic bootcamp to healthy holiday for all. In a time before mental health was front and centre, the decision to provide Lifestyle Consultants (psychologists) alongside fitness experts and dieticians was pioneering. 'What you're eating's important, but more important is what's eating you,' was Allan's mantra, says Tanya, who was also behind world-famous spa Chiva Som in Thailand. A star-studded era followed its purchase in 2002 by Stephen Purdew and his late mother Dorothy (or Mrs P as she was affectionately known by employees), who also owned three spa resorts which were rebranded under the Champneys name. Sporting heroes such as Frank Bruno and George Best would pop in for a sauna while super models and movie stars including Naomi Campbell, Barbara Streisand and Brad Pitt also donned a white robe. Its most famous guest, however, was Princess Diana – though staff remained discreet about the details of her visit, says Wheway. Fast-forward to today and the headline-making A-list visits of the early 2000s are a distant memory, with the average Champneys guest more likely to be working in accounts than Hollywood. The UK spa scene has radically altered too. Lemon water detoxes and Mr Motivator-esque fitness classes have long been relegated to spa room 101. Guests now tend to visit for a day or overnight stay rather than weeks and the vast majority are women compared to a century ago when it was men who were more likely to sign up for the Nature Cure. However, it's notable how many popular treatments today have their origins in the last century. 'It's gone full circle,' agrees Champneys' Wellbeing Director Louise Day, who says that the benefits of breathwork, for example, were recognised by Stanley Leif 100 years ago and are once again featuring heavily on spa programmes. Day has been with the company for decades and seen the fitness offer change organically from the 'feel the burn' era of Jane Fonda-style classes to the launch of bootcamps, PT sessions and strength training. She says guests are more focused on variety and personalisation, with mobility and HITT classes now part of the mix. According to Innovation Director Kate Taylor, Gen Z are the most clued-up generation health-wise thanks to social media, with most understanding that if 80 per cent of your wellbeing comes from lifestyle choices and just 20 per cent from genes, it's vital to start educating and looking after yourself way before the 35 years marker – the age your body officially starts to deteriorate. Gulp. Consequently, longevity and lifestyle are current buzz words in the spa world which Taylor believes will help shape wellness over the next 10 years. In response, Champneys is rolling out more retreats than ever before (up to 200), covering everything from detoxing and the menopause to the slightly more woo: a 'Twilight Moon Manifesting' retreat and 'Wim Hof Fundamentals' getaway. Taylor says research shows that poor sleep health is a concern that spans the generations from boomers to Millennials, so retreats to help guests get some shut eye are an important offer. And in an era when technology is threatening to impose on all areas of life, it's interesting to learn that Champneys' Group Spa Director Laura Sheridan is a big believer in digital detoxing and thinks human touch will become 'ever more important' to guests feeling increasingly isolated in a high-tech world. It's safe to say there's no danger of robots taking over the massage treatments at Tring just yet. Champneys clearly won't be hanging up its white slippers any time soon, with a new spa in Marbella scheduled to open this year, which will sit alongside the existing four spa resorts (Tring, Forest Mere, Henlow and Springs), two hotels and two city spas. Its challenge is to remain relevant at a time when there are more luxurious UK spa hotels than ever before and to meet the demands of guests expecting results in record time. Amanda Statham travelled as a guest of Champneys Tring, which offers doubles from £140.
