The women of the 'sandwich generation' caring for young and old

I started to notice my 81-year-old mother, Di, struggling just under a year ago, when she texted me late on a Saturday night worrying about some legal paperwork and I could not get her to calm down.
After that, she became increasingly anxious and depressed. She no longer took pleasure in the things she loved and began having trouble looking after herself day to day.
Realising that mum needed serious professional help, we checked her into a psychiatric hospital for a short stay that turned into six months. Her decline was rapid.
She seemed to wither before our eyes. There were falls, a broken arm, delirium, COVID, and, most likely dementia. She couldn't walk from bed to the toilet unaided.
Only months prior, mum had lived alone and was independent.
She had always been fearsome, a former school principal with a booming laugh and a single mother who made sure I had everything — a picture of self-sacrifice. We love each other to pieces, but also annoy each other like no-one else can.
When I realised mum wouldn't be able to live on her own anymore, we planned for her to move into a granny flat at the back of our place when she left the hospital.
I suddenly found myself part of what is sometimes called the "sandwich generation": people (mostly women) who have the task of being the primary carer for the generations on either side.
My life was hectic even before mum became unwell. I'm an executive producer on the podcast Ladies, We Need to Talk and a parent to my two lovely and spirited neurodivergent kids, who are nine and 11.
I knew it was going to be hard work, but nothing prepared me for the difficulty of trying to look after everyone all at once.
Every day is spent frantically managing other people's needs, and our time spent together is mostly functional, keeping everyone warm, medicated, fed and showered.
As well as helping mum after her release from hospital and getting the kids ready for school, a team of support workers for mum came and went daily, which required a tonne of admin and endless time on the phone.
I often feel tired, and like my emotional reserves are used up on everybody else. It could break me on some days.
But I'm not alone. There are around 1.5 million Aussies who are in this situation, and the numbers are rising.
The 2022 Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (the "HILDA") Survey, found that women were "considerably more likely" to be carers than men.
As Australia's population ages, by 2050 the 85+ age group is expected to triple. We're also having babies later, which means women are often at the peak of their careers when they need to start caring for their kids and their elderly parents too.
So, I wanted to find out what the sandwich generation can do to take care not only of the people around them, but of themselves. And for those not at that stage yet, how can we set ourselves up to survive this period?
I met with Nasalifya Namwinga, a clinical psychologist and burnout researcher, who often sees how women carry most of the caregiving load, and how heavy this can be for them.
"I think there's an expectation that as a woman, you'll provide this care. You're being pulled in three different directions and you are being stretched to meet the needs of these particular roles [as a mother, carer and partner]," she says.
Namwinga says it can be helpful to have conversations about expectations of who does the care work early on, "while the parent actually has the capacity to engage or contribute".
I've used the word burnout a lot in the past year. But I've often wondered how you know you are experiencing carer burnout as opposed to just being a bit tired and over it?
Namwinga says there are three components to burnout: exhaustion, low efficacy and cynicism.
I identify with "low efficacy" — stuff like missing kids' appointments, or being late on paying my bills — things that are not the norm for me.
Namwinga says cynicism is also one to keep an eye on.
"[Cynicism] might play out as anger or intense emotions that don't match how you feel about the thing that you're doing. Those are the feelings that come up that; 'I just wish I didn't have to do any of it.' That's probably a sign you're experiencing carer burnout."
I think a lot of mothers and carers struggle with asking for help, because we're used to doing it all, and we are really good at juggling a million things. Namwinga says protecting ourselves from burnout is ultimately about "scaffolding" ourselves with support from others.
"So if I start experiencing exhaustion to the point that I'm struggling to get out of bed, who can I call? And asking them for support when you need it. And that means you have to prioritise yourself."
Phyllis, who is looking after her mother and children, thinks the term "sandwich generation" needs a rebrand.
I spoke to Phyllis because I wanted to hear about women going through similar experiences. She is in the thick of it right now, caring for her 94-year-old mother, Barbara, and two teenage sons, who are 15 and 18, while also working four days a week.
She's been her mum's main carer since Barbara's husband died 13 years ago.
"He was the filter through which mum saw the world, so when he passed, I had to step into that role," she says.
Barbara is in great health for a nonagenarian, but she doesn't drive anymore, and Greek is the language she's most comfortable with. So Phyllis is Barbara's emotional support, her taxi driver, her translator and personal assistant. She tries to see her mum twice a week, and they stay in constant phone contact.
But she has set clear expectations with Barbara about how much she can offer as a carer while also trying to parent two teenagers.
"My sons come first," she says. "You cannot in this day and age take your hands off the wheel. You can't just say 'hey they're teenagers now, go be free'. It adds a whole other layer of complexity to the parenting equation."
As the primary carer, Phyllis can sometimes feel the pressure of non-stop demands from her mum. Coupled with exhaustion, it means Phyllis can sometimes lose her cool with her mum.
"The boys have been present when I've argued with my mother and we've gone hammer and tongs and it's been really ugly. But then they also see when we make up," she says.
The women staying single by choice in a world of relentless dating pressure
The idea of modelling healthy relationships to your kids is something Namwinga leans into in her practice.
"When we mess up as parents, it actually provides a beautiful moment for repair with our children, which teaches them something about relationships. It teaches them that you are not perfect," she says.
"You can get things wrong. [Saying] 'I was wrong and I'm sorry', is a really powerful experience for a child to learn that if my parent doesn't have to be perfect, then maybe I don't have to be perfect either."
Phyllis says there can also be little moments of beauty with her mother.
"She can be a really complex, difficult character, but she's very loving and she's very kind and beneath all the bluster, is a very frightened, vulnerable little girl," she says.
"And that's what I try and hold onto when times can be tough.
"And it makes me emotional because, she's just such a force of nature. She's been through a lot of rejection and pain, and yet she's still who she is unapologetically. She's dealing with her frailties of aging with as much grace as she can muster."
I recently spent the day with mum after she had been in respite care for about three weeks. I took her shopping and I could tell she thought she felt good about herself for the first time in a long while. It was so great to see her sparkling a bit.
We went out for lunch and she told me about some friends she made in care, and how they get together to complain about the food. Having a chat with me was out of the ordinary for her; normally it's just a list of worries.
It made me feel a bit lighter, like there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I know there'll be many more bad days ahead, but she's in a good place right now, and we've just signed the paperwork for her to stay in care permanently.
But I'm also battling with something more existential as I watch my mum get older — a living grief for the woman she once was. A part of me is also preparing for the end.
"It is a complex grief to be watching someone you love slip away from you," Namwinga tells me.
"If they experience things like dementia, they're losing memories, they're losing mobility, [and] watching that process can be quite heartbreaking."
It is a privilege to be in a position where I can care for my mum and be able to pay her back for a lot of the stuff she did raising me.
If I was going to give any advice, it would be that it's going to happen way faster than you think. You think you've got years, but one event can just send everything spiralling out of control and change the whole world for them and for you.
So talk to your parents early about their power of attorney, their enduring guardianship, about their will and final wishes. They're hard conversations to have, but it's much easier to have them sooner than later.
The host of the Ladies, We Need To Talk, Yumi Stynes, once gave me some words of advice when I was having a bit of a shitty week: "Don't be heroic."
So I've taken those words on board and it's now my current Sandwich Gen motto.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

ABC News

an hour ago

• ABC News

Chronically stressed? These small changes can help

Sana Qadar: I thought I knew what it meant to feel stressed, or overworked, or underslept, or close to burnout. I mean, I feel versions of these often enough. But then Dr Rangan Chatterjee told me a story that's almost unbelievable. It's the story of his father. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: So my dad grew up in India. He came to the UK in 1962. And dad basically worked to give his family in the UK, so my mum, me and my brother, and his family back home, a better life. But the way dad worked, looking back now was mind-blowing, honestly. Like, because for 30 years, my dad only slept three nights a week. Sana Qadar: Did you catch that? Three nights a week. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: So he was a consultant physician at Manchester Royal Infirmary. And I can remember this so clearly. Dad would do his day job in the middle of Manchester. So we lived in a suburb of Manchester. So he'd drive home, maybe take him 40 minutes or so. And he'd come in about 6, 6.15pm. Mum would have dinner ready for him. He'd go to the kitchen, he'd have dinner. He'd go upstairs and shave. And then at 7pm, he'd leave the house to do GP house calls all night. And he'd arrive back again at 7am. When he got in at 7am, he'd have breakfast in the kitchen. He'd go upstairs and shave again. And then he'd drive 45 minutes in traffic back to Manchester to do his day job. So for 30 years, dad was doing both of these jobs, and he only slept three nights a week. And I didn't know this at the time. And there was a lot of stress at home. And of course, there's, you know, he was exhausted all the time. Sana Qadar: At the age of 58, all of that chronic stress and sleep deprivation finally caught up with Rangan's father. First, he was diagnosed with lupus, which is an autoimmune disease where the immune system starts attacking healthy tissues and organs. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: And basically he had to medically retire. His kidneys completely failed. He lost the sight in one of his eyes. And then he was literally chained to a dialysis machine three times a week for 15 years. And so what's really interesting for me is, you know, reflecting back now, although my dad's case might seem quite extreme, I have seen many iterations of that in my practice for years. People think they can keep pushing, pushing for more, better job, a bit more money, another promotion, a nicer holiday, whatever it might be. But yeah, the thing is, that quest for more is driving so many people to stress themselves out in the belief that at some point in the future, everything's going to be okay and I can chill and relax. But I've seen time and time again, people come in wishing they'd stopped earlier. Sana Qadar: Dr Rangan Chatterjee is a GP with more than 20 years experience. And his focus and his passion has long been lifestyle medicine. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: In fact, 80 to 90% of what we see as medical doctors today is in some way related to our collective modern lifestyles. Sana Qadar: But you might recognize him from his mega popular podcast, Feel Better, Live More, where he delves into the science of lifestyle medicine and wellbeing. And in his experience, one of the biggest lifestyle factors impacting people's health is chronic stress. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: The 53 year old executive who kept pushing and working every weekend and coming back late until he gets the heart attack. The 46 year old mother who never does anything for herself, everything is for her partner, her children, her elderly parents. I've seen this so many times. And for me, it's always trying to get to the root cause. And I would say for so many people, chronic stress is at the root of many of their short term symptoms and their long term health problems. Sana Qadar: So today on All In The Mind, we are focusing on chronic stress, what it's doing to our brains and bodies, everything from our decision making abilities to our libidos. And we're also finding out the signs and red flags to look out for that tell you your stress levels are unhealthily high. We'll also find out what you can do about it. This is All In The Mind. I'm Sana Qadar. Sana Qadar: Just going back to when you were first talking about your dad's story and how he was working for 30 years while you were growing up. I just wondered, like, whether you or your family did anyone think that his pace of work was nuts? Or was it kind of just normalized, the fact that he was only sleeping three days a week? Dr Rangan Chatterjee: I think as a kid, that's just your normal. You're just like, you're used to dad not being around. Oh, dad's working tonight. Dad's working this Sunday, or whatever it might be. So on a personal level, me and my brother, I'm not sure we were aware. I think it was normalized for us. I do remember mum often saying, why are you doing this? You don't need to work on Christmas Day. You don't need to work on Boxing Day to gain even more money to send home. Why don't you just stay? So I don't want to speak about my parents' marriage in the sense that I don't know what went on. But I certainly think as kids, we didn't really see the full impacts of it. I think for us, it was normalized. Sana Qadar: It's such an immigrant thing for especially that generation to want to work so hard and send quite a lot back home to help sisters and brothers. It's a familiar story in a way. Not that anyone in my family was only sleeping three nights a week, but the other details of it are similar. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Yeah, but that's why I feel as I've got older, I've just become, I'm pretty non-judgmental these days. I think I used to be. I just think more and more, none of us know what's going on in someone else's life. I think once you really get that, you just become a lot less judgmental and more compassionate to the world around you. Sana Qadar: Now, you would think watching his father's punishing schedule, the chronic stress, the lack of sleep would put Rangan off a career in medicine. But like I said, he followed in his footsteps and also became a doctor. But early on in his medical training, Rangan started to feel like something pretty important was missing from the medical system. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Yeah, I think when I qualified from Edinburgh Medical School back in 2001, I thought that I'd been taught all the tools that I needed to go out there into the world and help my patients. So when you qualify, you start off in hospitals and I did that for quite a few years. And I think there was a frustration early on in my career that what I'd been taught to do was suppress symptoms often with medications. And that was really front of mind for me when I did move into general practice because I thought a lot of these patients who are coming in, we're not really getting to the root cause of their problems. In fact, 80 to 90% of what we see as medical doctors today is in some way related to our collective modern lifestyles. Yet not only do we not get trained in how our lifestyle specifically affects different aspects of our health, we're not really taught how we actually put that into practice. So our default as medical doctors often ends up being prescribing pharmaceutical medications for symptoms that are driven by our lifestyle. And for me, that was very unsatisfactory. And I tell you, Sana, one really seminal day for me was when I finished a long day in NHS general practice where I'd probably seen about 50 patients. And I was tired. It was the end of the day. And I looked at my patient list on my computer screen and I asked myself, Rangan, how many patients have you really helped today? Like honestly. And hand on heart, I thought, well, I think I probably helped about 20% of people. The other 80%, sure, I was professional. I listened to them. I might have sent them for a test or given them a medication to help hide a symptom. But I thought, they're going to be back. I didn't really help them get to the root cause of their problem. So that day, I realized that actually I can't do this for the next 40 years of my career. There must be another way. And for me, that way is what we call lifestyle medicine. Sana Qadar: Lifestyle medicine is a relatively new field. It's a branch of evidence-based health care that focuses on trying to prevent diseases before they start, rather than just treating them once they set in. Chronic diseases like Alzheimer's, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and stroke. It's a response to the fact that in the modern post-industrial era, there's been a shift in the kinds of diseases that most affect people in high-income countries. That's a shift from mostly infectious diseases to mostly chronic diseases, which often have lifestyle or environmental drivers. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: I want to be really clear, Sanaa. I'm not blaming people here. I understand that modern life is challenging, and a lot of people are not able to eat as well as they want to. Their jobs mean that they're sedentary for a lot more time than they might choose to be. They're chronically stressed, chronically sleep deprived. I'm not saying that people are doing this to themselves. I'm saying I don't think there's enough awareness that our lifestyle, and if you can personalize and change specific parts, what I call the four key pillars of health, food, movement, sleep, and relaxation, you can have profound impact on all aspects of our health, short-term and long-term. Sana Qadar: And so that brings us back to chronic stress, one of the main lifestyle factors wrecking havoc on people's health. Because stress sets off a whole bunch of responses in the body. It makes your blood pressure rise Dr Rangan Chatterjee: so that more oxygen can be delivered around your body. Sana Qadar: It makes your blood sugar levels rise Dr Rangan Chatterjee: so more glucose can get to your brain. Sana Qadar: It also throws your amygdala, Dr Rangan Chatterjee: which is the emotional reactive part of your brain, into high alert so you're hyper-vigilant. Sana Qadar: And while we evolved this stress response to keep us safe, the problem is our brains can't fully tell the difference between the threat posed by a lion or tiger who wants to eat us versus our email inbox. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Yeah, you know, the email inbox, the children we have to rush to pick up after work, the elderly parents we're having to look after when we don't even have our tribe community around us anymore, the three social media channels we're trying to keep up to date with, the constant bombardment of negativity on the news, whatever it might be, our bodies are responding in very similar ways, whether it is a real physical threat or the emotional, psychological stresses that are coming at us in the 21st century. So just to tie the loop up, blood pressure going up in the short term when you're running away from a tiger or a lion, great. Blood pressure going up temporarily while you're doing a 30-minute spinning workout at the gym, great, no problem. But blood pressure going up day in, day out to the state of your life, well, that's what's going to increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. And you talk about the brain, the amygdala, the emotional part of our brain. If you think there's a wild predator there, the emotional part of your brain becomes hyper-vigilant. Why is that important? So you can hear everything, a pinprick, or there's a rustling in the bush. If that's happening to the state of your daily life, well, that's what we call anxiety. So once you understand the stress response, you actually understand stress is there for a reason, but we're not designed to be stressed all the time. Sana Qadar: I want to dive deeper into how chronic stress affects our brains, specifically our mood and cognition, because you might have noticed, I definitely have, that when you're super stressed, you are probably more moody and snappy and you struggle to make decisions. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Chronic stress has a huge impact on the way we make decisions. Okay, so think about your brain in two parts. It's a slight oversimplification, but I think it really helps us understand this concept. One part is the front of your brain, the prefrontal cortex at the front of your brain, where you make your logical and rational decisions. And then further back, the emotional part of your brain, where the stress response comes from when you think you're in danger. Ideally, you want both of those parts online and in balance. But when you're chronically stressed, you switch off the prefrontal cortex, that part of your brain that makes logical and rational decisions, it goes offline. So you're left with the emotional brain ruling the roost, which is one of the reasons why we struggle when we're chronically stressed to make good decisions. In fact, many of us know that feeling at the end of the day when we've not taken a lunch break, we're a bit frazzled, and an email comes in and we need to make a decision, and we can't. We don't have the clarity. And that's because our logical brain has gone offline. And that's why stress reduction practices, you know, a bit of breath work, a 10-minute walk at lunchtime, one minute of jumping jacks or moving your body, whatever it might be, just helps to break the cycle, lower the stress response, and then that front part of your brain where you make those logical decisions from starts to come back online. Sana Qadar: And this also explains why when you're stressed, you can be more emotionally dysregulated. And this is a real problem long term, because chronic stress doesn't just change the functioning of the brain, it can change the structure. For example, there is a well-established link between chronic stress and depression, and we also know that chronic stress can shrink the hippocampus, a part of the brain that's critical for learning and memory. I could go on, but I'll stop there because I think you get the point. Chronic stress is bad for many different reasons. But just two other points I do want to briefly make is that, one, there is plenty of research finding that people from poorer backgrounds often experience higher levels of chronic stress because of the precariousness of their lives. That puts them at a higher risk of being impacted by these kinds of changes in the brain. Second, there's also growing research in Australia, the UK, and the US suggesting Gen Z are the most stressed generation, thanks to a combination of factors, including the COVID pandemic, financial insecurity, and the rising cost of living, and the impact of social media and technology. Sana Qadar: Okay, so I want to ask, when should a person start to be worried about the amount of stress they're feeling? Like, when can you know, what are the signs to look out for that you've been chronically stressed for too long? Dr Rangan Chatterjee: I mean, it's highly individual for all of us. And the problem is that the more you get used to chronic stress, the harder it is to tune into your own body and figure out that, oh my God, I need a break. You know, this is going on for too long. One of the big factors is also that these boundaries between work and home have been decimated with technology. Right? So 25 years ago, there were natural endpoints to the working week. You know, when you left the office, you were kind of done. So, you know, how can people know? Well, one good sign is when their mind is racing at night and they can't switch off to fall asleep. That's a good sign that your mind has been overactive and you've not given yourself a chance to sort of wind down. Sana Qadar: Another sign, Rangan says, is stomach problems. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: We know from a bit of research done a few years ago that in the UK at least, and I've no reason to believe that it will be different in Australia, 84% of UK adults have some form of gastrointestinal symptom each year, which is incredible. The number one cause is not, in my view, diet, it's stress. Sana Qadar: The connection between our stress levels and gut health has been well studied and the relationship seems to go both ways. Our gut can influence our mood and stress levels, as well as our stress levels influencing our gut. It's an idea that was popularized in a big way in a book called Gut by Julia Enders back in 2014. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Think about it. If you think there's a predator about to attack and you have to keep yourself safe, your body will switch off functions that are not essential to your survival. You do not need to be able to digest food efficiently if your body thinks it's in danger, which is also why some of the time we're trying to eat our healthy whole food meal, but we're also doing it whilst answering work emails. The reality is you're not going to absorb that food properly. Now, I'm not judging. I will also do this despite knowing it, but the truth is sometimes, and I've had patients who think they're intolerant to certain foods, but once I taught them a simple breathing technique called the 3-4-5 breathing technique to help them downregulate their stress response before they eat, they find, oh man, I'm not getting symptoms anymore. Sana Qadar: If you're wondering how that breathing technique works, keep listening. We'll explain that in a moment. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Now, of course, there are true food allergies. I'm not talking about that, but for some intolerances, you're not actually reacting to the food, you're reacting to the fact that you're eating that food in a stressed out state. So, if you're getting a lot of indigestion, a lot of bloating, constipation, or whatever it might be, that might indicate that you're chronically stressed, right? Sana Qadar: And then just one other sign we'll mention that can tell you you might be chronically stressed is if you find your libido is starting to suffer. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: We, as doctors, are seeing more low libido in younger and younger and age groups than we've ever seen before. Number one factor is chronic stress. Again, think about it through that evolutionary lens. If you think your body's in danger, your body doesn't think, oh, I need to now be able to chill out and procreate with my partner. So, it switches off libido, and this is a massive issue because it affects relationships, it affects how men and women feel about themselves and their vitality. And again, I've treated lots of cases of low libido by helping people lower their stress levels. Sana Qadar: I want to know more about, you mentioned the breathing exercises, I want to know more about tools and tips for de-stressing. What do you advise people do? Because, you know, work is still stressful, the news is stressful, like modern life doesn't fully change, we have to change how we relate to it. What do you suggest people do? Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Yeah, so the first thing I want to say here is that one thing that 23 years of medicine has taught me is there's very rarely one thing that works for everybody. We've all got different gut microbiomes, we've all got different emotional histories, and so we respond to different things. Let me give you a selection of things that I recommend to people and then people can sort of play around and see what works for them. I believe the way you start your day has a huge impact on the rest of your day. So, I think a useful way to look at the way we start the day is through the lens of what I call micro stress doses. Okay, so what's a micro stress dose? It's a little dose of stress that in isolation we can handle just fine, but when those micro stress doses accumulate, they get you closer and closer to what I call your personal stress threshold. And at your personal stress threshold is when things start to go wrong. So, let's say you went to bed late because you were watching Netflix and your alarm goes off on your phone at 6am. That is what I call micro stress dose number one or MSD number one. Okay, because it jolted you out of a deep sleep. You look at it, you go, I'm still tired, you put snooze on. Six minutes later, the alarm goes on again. Micro stress dose number two. Then whilst you're in bed, you open up your email app. Oh man, there's three work emails I didn't do from yesterday. I need to get onto that today. You're nodding your head a lot here at the moment. Sana Qadar: (Laughs) you're describing my mornings pretty much. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: MSD number three. Okay, then you go to the news app and see about some gas explosion that has happened that's killed people, whatever it might be. Okay, and I don't mean that to sound negative. Obviously, if people are dying with something, I'm deeply compassionate about that. The point I'm trying to make is that many people I've seen in practice over the years, in the first hour of the day, they've accumulated 10 to 15 micro stress doses. It means you are very near your personal stress threshold, which means you have less capacity in the day to deal with it. So it won't take much to tip you over. So going back to your question, some of us have got more agency to make decisions and change things than others. I'm saying that for some of us, we don't need to start our day with 10 to 15 micro stress doses. If you had an alarm clock instead of your phone, for example, that can be game changing. Sana Qadar: Simple, but effective. Rangan also recommends a morning routine that he recognizes people can sometimes balk at the idea. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: They're like, oh man, I don't have time for a morning routine. The thing is, everyone already has a morning routine. The question is, are you conscious of that morning routine? Right? You've got a routine, that routine I just mentioned. That's a morning routine (both laughing). Sana Qadar: That's my routine, the emails and the social media. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: You're repeating that routine every day. Fine, but that's going to have an impact on you. So I believe a nice framework to think about a morning routine is what I call the three M's, mindfulness, movement, and mindset. You don't have to do all three, but I think if you have the time, all three can be done quite beautifully in quite a short period of time. So mindfulness could be anything like a bit of meditation, breath work, whatever, drinking a coffee in silence, right? Just paying attention to the coffee and not actually scrolling your emails or Instagram at the same time. Movement can be some stretches, a few weights, whatever it might be. And mindset is something to put you in the positive frame of mind. So it could be reading a little bit or journaling. Now I get it. A lot of people will be going, I don't have time for any of that in the morning. Okay. Let me give you an example of one of my patients who said that to me. She was a single mother. I think she was about early forties from recollection. She had really bad skin that was flaring up lots and it was making her life miserable. And I got a strong sense that chronic stress was driving her skin flare ups. So what I suggested about a little morning routine, she said, I don't have time for any of this stuff. Right. I said, okay, do you have 15 minutes? No. Do you have 10 minutes? No. Do you have five minutes? Well, yeah, I've got five minutes. I said, okay, great. So M number one mindfulness, she did what I call the three, four, five breaths. Let me just explain what that is because I mentioned it before as well. Anytime your out breath is longer than your in breath, you help to switch off the stress part of your nervous system and activate the relaxation part of your nervous system. Okay. So three, four, five breath is simply you breathe in for three, you hold for four and you breathe out for five. One of those breaths takes 12 seconds. Five of them takes simply one minute and it will literally change your physiology in just that one minute. Sana Qadar: And this is something you can do obviously at any time, not just as part of a morning routine before a big meeting, before an exam. But the question I have is, is the breathing exercise or even the routine enough on its own to actually have a long lasting impact? Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Well, it is because I'll tell you why. So let's go back to that patient then. So she did one minute of three, four, five breathing, two minutes of movements, and she used to love yoga, but since she became a mother, she never had time. So she did three or four of her favorite yoga moves and then she did two minutes of mindset. And for her, it was just affirmations. Now, there is quite a bit of research on affirmations and what they can do for our wellbeing and our stress levels. They're a little bit controversial. Not everyone buys into the research, but nonetheless, I think it's a very positive, empowering thing for someone to do. So she would say for two minutes, I'm happy, I'm calm, I'm stress-free. I'm happy, I'm calm, I'm stress-free. Remember, this took her five minutes. Sana Qadar: Rangan says that over the next 10 days, this patient's skin flare-ups reduced significantly. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Because it's not just about those five minutes. What do those five minutes do? They remind you of what it feels like to be calm and relaxed. Once you started doing that, she was much more likely to stop at lunch and go for a 10 minute walk around her office block. She was much more likely to pay a bit more attention to her evening meal and make it a bit healthier. Sana Qadar: Basically, that small change had a ripple effect. Now, despite his own busy schedule, there's a lot that Rangan does in his own life as well to keep stress at bay. Things like having a hobby, he plays guitar, journaling daily, making time for some form of physical activity every day. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: I now, at this stage in my career, have quite a bit of autonomy. And I recognize that, okay? Not everyone does. I'm able to structure things so that I can. Sana Qadar: And one of the ways he's restructured his life recently is he quit his medical practice. He did that to free up time to focus on his podcast and his books and his public speaking and his role as a visiting professor of health education and communication at Chester Medical School. It's a very different life to his 30s when he was working full-time, taking care of his young family, and helping to care for his ailing father. Sana Qadar: I'm curious to know, what do you think your father would think about the life you've carved out for yourself and the work life you've carved out for yourself? Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Yeah, that's a great question. I actually think about this quite a lot. You know, dad died, I think, yeah, 12 years ago, just over 12 years ago. One of the things on a personal level that used to make me sad was that all the things that my dad would have been proudest about, you know, as an Indian immigrant to the UK in the 1960s, the fact that, you know, I had my own primetime BBC One TV show. I've had six Sunday Times bestselling books. I have the largest health podcast in Europe, whatever it might be. My dad got to see none of those things. And it used to really upset me. But at the same time, now I realize that if my dad was still alive, I wouldn't be doing any of these things. Because, well, there's two reasons for that. One is, and if there's anyone listening who's a carer, you know, they'll know how stressful life is when you're a carer. You know, I came back to the northwest of England to help my mum and my brother look after my dad. I didn't have time for anything else. You know, it was hard enough just to look after dad, just about keep my job going and see my wife. Right? It was very, very stressful. So number one, if dad was still alive, I don't think I'd have time to do the things that I've done. But secondly, the most important things I've learned have come from my dad's death. And now I've reframed my dad's death to believe that dad actually gave me a gift through him dying. Because the man I am today, the questions I started to ask myself after my dad died, I'm not sure any of those things would have happened until dad had died. So actually, again, I understand the death of a parent is a really challenging time for most people. I'm not expecting or asking anyone else to reframe their own parents' death in this way. But I do believe that life is simply a set of experiences and it's the story we put onto those experiences that ultimately determine the quality of our life. And I'm able to 12 years on now, reframe my dad's death as being, that was a gift to me. Because all this wisdom, I hope that I can share with people that really helps them. A huge part of that has been through my dad's death. Sana Qadar: And you mentioned other patients you've worked with who had also kind of worked themselves to the bone, regretted not stopping earlier. I'm wondering, do you know if your father wished he hadn't worked quite so hard by the time he got sick? Did he wish he had stopped earlier? Dr Rangan Chatterjee: You know, there's only one question I would love to ask my dad if I was still alive. And I don't know the answer. One of the questions, the only question is, dad, was it worth it? Because being truthful, although dad worked himself to ill health, I've changed my view on this over the past years. I now think, Rangan, you have no right to think that your dad made a mistake. You don't know that. Dad may say, if he was alive, he may go, I'd do that all over again. Because my only purpose in life was to look after my family back home and to give you and your brother the very best start in life that I could. Now, if that is true, which I believe it to be true, my dad may say, well, I kind of did that, right? I looked after everyone at home and look at what you're now doing, son. Look at how many people you're helping all over the world with what you do. I would do that all over again. So I'm hypothesizing here. I honestly don't know. Do I believe my dad could have done those things and not got ill at the same time? Yeah, I do believe that was possible. But how can I possibly know? But he never said to me, to be clear, I wish I'd stopped earlier. So I'm speculating. Sana Qadar: Rangan, it's been so lovely chatting to you. Thank you for sharing your family story and the story of your patients and everything you've learned over the course of your career. We really appreciate it. Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Yeah, thanks so much for having me on. Sana Qadar: That is Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, until recently a practicing GP, and he's also the host of the Feel Better Live More podcast. Rangan is going to be touring Australia in mid-July with live events in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. If you want to find out more, just search An Evening with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. He'll be at Melbourne Town Hall, the State Theatre in Sydney and Brisbane City Hall. That is it for All in the Mind this week. Thanks to producer Rose Kerr, senior producer James Bullen, and sound engineer Tegan Nicholls. I'm Sana Qadar. Thank you for listening. I'll catch you next week.

The Australian

7 hours ago

• The Australian

Nine hospitalised after chemical incident at Broadmeadows Leisure Centre

Nine people were taken to hospital and 200 evacuated following a chemical incident at a public pool in Melbourne's north. Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) were called to the Broadmeadows Leisure Centre about 6.15pm on Friday night after people reported the smell of gas inside the centre. Firefighters found multiple people affected by the chemicals upon arrival. Nine people were taken to hospital following a chemical incident at the Broadmeadows Leisure Centre on Friday night. Picture: Instagram/@balcleisure A FRV spokesperson confirmed to NewsWire that nine people were taken to hospital for treatment following the incident. About 200 people were evacuated from the leisure centre while FRV hazmat specialists ventilated the premises. A positive reading for sodium hydrogen sulphate was found by the hazmat specialists. The centre was confirmed to be safe to re-enter two hours later by FRV. A Hume City Council spokeswoman said the incident was sparked by the occurrence of a chemical reaction during routine pool maintenance on Friday evening. About 200 people were evacuated. Picture: Instagram/@balcleisure A positive reading for sodium hydrogen sulphate was found by Fire Rescue Victoria hazmat specialists. Picture: Instagram/@balcleisure The spokeswoman said the nine people taken to hospital had been in contact with the council, and 'we understand they are all doing well'. 'Following a thorough assessment by WorkSafe immediately after the incident, it was confirmed the facility was safe to reopen Saturday morning,' the spokeswoman said. An internal review has been launched to confirm the incident's cause, and to ensure it doesn't happen again. 'We thank our staff and emergency services for their swift and professional response and thank the community for their understanding and support,' the spokeswoman said. Sodium hydrogen sulphate, also known as sodium bisulphate, can be used to adjust pH levels in water. Clareese Packer Reporter ​Clareese is a Court Reporter at NewsWire. She previously covered breaking news for the outlet after completing the 2023 NewsCorp cadet program, where she worked at The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, the National News Network and NewsWire. Clareese Packer

News.com.au

13 hours ago

• News.com.au

The ultimate rebrand: How electrolytes became Australia's newest obsession

Electrolytes are having a moment in Australia – whether it's powders, ready-to-drink beverages or gummies – and it seems they're not just for athletes anymore. Walk into any supermarket, pharmacy, or gym, and you'll find hydration products promising to quench your thirst, boost your energy, and keep you focused. What was once a niche market for elite athletes has evolved into a trendy wellness phenomenon, with electrolytes now marketed as a daily staple to fitness and health-focused consumers. In 2022, the global demand for flavoured and functional water was valued at $50.3 billion (AUD $77.6 billion), a figure expected to nearly double by 2030. In Australia, the sports and energy drinks market, which includes electrolyte-enhanced beverages, is also booming. According to the IMARC Group, the market reached 133.5 million litres in 2024 and is projected to grow to 226.7 million litres by 2033, with an annual growth rate of 5.58 per cent. But what actually are electrolytes? And do we really need them as much as our favourite influencers espouse? What are electrolytes Electrolytes are essential substances that have a natural positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water. They help your body regulate chemical reactions, maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells, regulate nerve and muscle function and help maintain proper pH in the blood. Your body gets electrolytes from the foods you consume, with sodium, for example, found in table salt, or potassium in bananas. You can notice if you're low in electrolytes, as the symptoms will be similar to dehydration, including muscle cramps, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and nausea. You can lose electrolytes through excessive sweating, vomiting and diarrhoea. The benefits Dr Zac, a leading GP, explains that while water is essential for hydration, drinks with added electrolytes can be more effective at hydrating the body in certain contexts. 'Plain water is quickly absorbed and excreted, especially if you drink it on an empty stomach or when not dehydrated,' he tells 'But drinks with electrolytes – like oral rehydration solutions or sports drinks – help your body retain fluids longer. These electrolytes pull water into your cells and maintain a healthy balance in the blood, which can improve hydration efficiency.' He also emphasises the significance of osmolality, which refers to the concentration of particles, such as salts and sugars, in a solution. 'Drinks with slightly higher osmolality than blood plasma, such as oral rehydration solutions, stay in the body longer and hydrate more effectively,' he notes. For most people, however, water is enough for daily hydration. However, if you are sweating heavily or engaging in gruelling workouts, feeling unwell, or need to rehydrate efficiently, something with electrolytes and nutrients will 'outperform water' alone, he explained. The risks Despite their benefits, not everyone needs to supplement with electrolytes daily. Dr Zac points out, 'In most daily situations, water is enough'. Highly active people, those who sweat profusely, or people recovering from illness may benefit most from electrolyte replenishment. For the average person eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, nuts, leafy greens, and protein, and drinking plenty of water, additional electrolytes are likely unnecessary. There are also risks associated with overconsumption. Too much sodium, for example, can lead to high blood pressure in susceptible people. Excessive intake of certain electrolytes can also disrupt the body's delicate balance, leading to issues such as gastrointestinal upset, and impaired kidney function. As with any supplement, moderation is key. Choosing the right hydration product Mark Robinson, a sports dietitian for BSc, emphasises the importance of looking carefully at the ingredients of a hydration product, if you have identified yourself as someone who needs them. 'It's all about the total electrolyte count as well as the type of electrolytes', he says. 'You're looking for a combination of all five key sports minerals: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride. Sodium is the most important one for rehydration, since this is what is mostly lost in sweat, which can lead to dehydration. A 2:1 sodium-to-potassium ratio is optimal.' Mr Robinson also recommends opting for low-sugar choices. 'The added sports minerals are what make these drinks more beneficial than water, as they replenish salts lost typically in sweat', he explains. 'But you don't want to undo the benefits by consuming excessive sugar.' Aussies lead the trend This advice aligns with market trends, as consumers are increasingly seeking out natural ingredient-based, low-sugar products with added functional ingredients. Aussie entrepreneurs Austin Xenos and Madison Verrocchi, co-founders of LVL UP, identified a gap in the market for a clean-ingredient hydration product that catered to a broader audience, not just elite athletes. 'We decided to launch LVL UP in 2023 after noticing a clear gap in the market for a functional but fun product – something you'd actually look forward to drinking, whether you're at the gym or recovering from a night out', the pair told The rise of health-conscious consumers has dramatically reshaped the hydration market in Australia. 'People now read ingredient labels and are more aware of how hydration impacts energy, focus, and recovery', they added. 'This shift is pushing brands to innovate, offering cleaner formulas, natural flavours, and more transparency. Consumers aren't just buying sports drinks anymore. They're choosing functional hydration solutions for all parts of their lives'. It's true that electrolyte drinks can make you feel more energised and focused – but they don't provide instant energy like caffeine. Rather, they help support your body's energy use more efficiently, especially during exercise. There are still misconceptions about these sorts of products, though. 'One big misconception is that hydration products are only for athletes,' they say. 'In reality, we lose electrolytes every day through excessive sweat, stress, or even just a busy lifestyle. 'Another is that all hydration products are full of sugar or artificial additives, which isn't always the case.' The founders note that LVL UP contains just 3.5 grams of glucose per sachet, which helps with electrolyte absorption. The future of the industry Looking ahead, the co-founders predict that the future of the industry is about 'multifunctional hydration'. 'People want products that do more. Hydration that supports focus, energy, immunity, or recovery', say the duo. 'Clean labels, convenience, and flavour will continue to drive decisions.' The bigger picture So why the sudden focus on electrolytes? Aside from the increased interest in health as a whole, some experts have noted that electrolytes are gaining popularity as they're a small, easy addition to daily life that requires minimal effort. 'People feel like they're doing something good for themselves without it feeling too expensive or complicated, which can be an issue with some supplements,' one dietitian told The Guardian. And others compare the boom to the protein movement seen in 2016. 'Suddenly, people had a much greater awareness of the benefits of getting enough protein in their diet and realised that the benefits go beyond what sportspeople need,' Joe Welstead, founder of electrolyte retailer, Oshun, said. 'It's a similar story with electrolytes: if you can get past going for caffeine first thing in the morning and focus on being properly hydrated instead, you're going to feel so much better.' The takeaway? If you are already eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, and not sweating excessively, you can probably go about your life without worrying too much about extra electrolytes. But if you are sweating a lot – and, let's face it, you probably should be, at least occasionally – they are worth thinking about.