This special edition of ConnectForHealth unpacks Cigna Healthcare’s new Wellbeing and Health Pulse in the UAE, recorded during a period of heightened pressure, rising costs, and shifting expectations around work and family life.

Host Scott Armstrong is joined by Leah Cotterill (CEO, Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa), Hana Agil (Cigna HR) and Suzanne Gandy, HR Director, Bayut and Dubizzle, to explore the positive story in the data, then go deeper into what pressure points sit beneath the optimism, and what leaders can do now to make resilience sustainable.

The conversation explores:

• What does “resilience” actually mean when people still report stress, sleep issues, and financial strain?
• Survey findings such as 89% feeling physically safe, 83% feeling emotionally safe, and 86% feeling at home in the UAE?
• Why is financial wellbeing emerging as a key pressure point, and what can employers do without overstepping?
• What should managers look for when people are “performing” but carrying pressure beneath the surface?
• How do leaders build trust and clarity during uncertainty

Who this is for

If you lead people, work in HR, or are shaping culture and wellbeing strategy in the UAE, this episode will give you a clear, evidence-led view of what employees are carrying right now and the practical leadership actions that matter.

10-point chapter list

00:00:10 Welcome and why this Pulse matters
00:01:24 Headline findings: safety, resilience, optimism
00:03:37 The big stats: physical safety, emotional safety, feeling at home
00:04:35 Family wellbeing as the strongest pillar
00:07:18 What employers are seeing internally: belonging and return-to-office
00:10:05 Work-life integration: treating employees as whole people
00:18:15 Pressure points: financial wellbeing and job security
00:23:16 Financial literacy at work: budgets, credit cards, estate planning
00:31:12 Support exists, but do people use it? The utilisation gap
00:53:44 Stop, start, continue: practical takeaways for leaders

In a world of quick fixes, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. Your health is not a single number, a trending supplement, or one “perfect” routine. It is a system, and the most powerful thing you can do is build a clear roadmap for the year ahead, understand your early markers, and know what to ask for before risk becomes diagnosis.

In this ConnectForHealth Special Edition, Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy are joined by Dr Mahmoud Al Darabie (Valeo Health) for a practical conversation on prevention, early action, and day-to-day management. They break down the key blood markers and ratios people misunderstand, how family history and lifestyle interact, and why “listen to your body” is not a slogan but a skill.

Among the key points explored:

• You’ve done “tests” but do not know what the numbers mean or what to do next
• You have family history (cholesterol, diabetes, cardiac events) and do not know how often to check in, or what to prioritise
• You feel tired, foggy, or low energy and you’re not sure whether it’s stress, sleep, blood sugar, or something else
• You’re confused by conflicting advice online (cholesterol “good/bad”, supplements, quick fixes) and want a clearer framework
• GLP-1s are everywhere, but you’re unsure what “good” looks like long term: when they help, what risks to watch for, and how to avoid swapping one short-term fix for another
• You’re tempted by “fast” solutions but want to know what sustainable change actually looks like, and what is realistic
• You have health benefits but you’re not sure what preventive care you can use, or how to use it well

Dial in if you want a clear, practical roadmap for the next 12 months, so you know what to check, what it means, and what to do next.

Chapter List:

00:01:12 Welcome back and what today’s “health check roadmap” covers
00:02:24 Where are people in the UAE right now: prevention vs diagnosis
00:03:49 The 12-month roadmap: history, lifestyle, sleep, stress, movement
00:05:45 Blood sugar markers: HbA1c, fasting glucose, insulin and what they indicate
00:06:57 Cholesterol confusion: why ratios and context matter more than one number
00:08:32 “Look at the whole picture”: stress, cortisol and metabolic knock-on effects
00:10:06 How often to check: why six months can be a useful rhythm
00:13:08 Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore: fatigue, brain fog, energy dips
00:28:28 Poll 1 and first actions for “borderline” readings
00:33:38 The quick-fix trap: why compliance drops after GLP-1s rose

Eight weeks into prolonged uncertainty in the Gulf region, a many people are still living in extended caretaker mode.

The practical pressures continue, but so does the hidden load: carrying worry, managing family dynamics, and trying to perform at work while feeling stretched.

In this ConnectForHealth episode, mentl's Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy of Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa are joined by Dr Rita Figueiredo, Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director at Peninsula Psychology, to unpack what burnout looks like in real life right now, and what helps when patience is thin, sleep is disrupted, and small things at home start to feel bigger than they should.

This conversation tackles:

• How to tell the difference between “a bad week” and something more serious when you are still functioning
• Why rest does not always feel restorative in a limbo phase, and what that can signal
• How to set boundaries at home and at work without triggering guilt or resentment
• How to communicate needs clearly so a boundary is understood, not misread as withdrawal
• What to do when you feel flat, reactive, or disconnected, and you are not sure what help looks like

Chapter List

00:09 Welcome and why “caretaker mode” can tip into burnout
02:34 What stress patterns are showing up in week seven
05:36 The limbo phase: “almost out of it, but not quite”
07:32 Stress vs burnout: the key difference when rest stops working
11:38 Role overload: worker, co-parent, teacher, emotional anchor
15:23 Poll 1: what is showing up most right now
19:01 When to seek help: signs your usual coping is not working
28:35 Boundaries without guilt: capacity, roles, and clear communication
34:09 “Add a caption”: the small communication shift that changes everything
50:11 Practical reset: reduce the load, reduce decisions, and aim for “good enough”