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”

Across the Gulf right now, many residents are living with a mix of gratitude and strain.

Alert texts, unfamiliar noises in the night, and prolonged uncertainty can keep the nervous system in threat-detection mode, leaving people exhausted but wired.

In this ConnectForHealth episode, Scott Armstrong (mentl) and Maissa Al Khafajy (Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa) are joined by Dr Samira Cutts, neuroscientist and occupational therapist at King’s College Hospital London - UAE, to explain what’s happening in the brain during sustained stress, and what you can do to protect sleep without trying to force “perfect” rest.

Highlights

• Why disrupted sleep is a normal biological response during prolonged uncertainty
• What to do when alert texts spike your heart rate and make it hard to return to sleep
• How late-night news checking re-triggers the stress response and what to do instead
• Practical sleep hygiene that starts hours before bed: light, caffeine timing, and temperature
• Kids’ sleep and co-regulation: how children take cues from adult nervous systems
• Wearables and sleep tracking: why too much data can backfire
• Quick-fire advice on supplements and habits, including melatonin, magnesium, and creatine

Why tune in

If you’re waking more, sleeping lighter, checking updates at night, or feeling tired even after “enough hours”, this episode will help you understand the pattern and leave you with practical steps you can start tonight.

Chapter List

00:00 Welcome and why sleep is taking a hit across the Gulf
02:00 The science of stress, threat vigilance, and sleep expectations
03:27 What’s “normal” right now: survival mode and stress hormones
06:55 The goalposts have moved: giving yourself slack
08:10 How this translates for children: co-regulation and safety cues
12:43 What to do when alerts trigger a spike: reassurance and a practical checklist
18:39 Why checking news at night is the worst thing (and how to set windows)
21:22 Poll 1: biggest sleep issues and what’s showing up most
31:52 Trauma triggers, cognitive reframing, and creating safety in the body
38:07 Sleep hygiene that works: light, caffeine timing, room temperature

When school moves online and uncertainty drags on, our children and teenagers often look “fine” while their nervous system is doing overtime.

In this Special Edition of ConnectForHealth, we speak directly to children and teens about what many are feeling during prolonged uncertainty: being tired, distracted, on edge, and finding it hard to switch off.

Scott Armstrong (mentl) is joined by Sema Corbaci, Chief Counsel, Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa, and her 12-year-old daughter Flossie, alongside expert guest Mark Samways, Director of Wellbeing (Schools and Organisations) and Counselling Psychologist at The Free Spirit Collective in Dubai.

Together, they explore:

• Why our brains and bodies react when things feel uncertain for a long time
• Why online learning can feel harder, and how to reset expectations
• Sleep and switching off at night, plus overthinking and worry spirals
• Friendship, belonging, and staying connected without overload
• How to help a friend without taking on their stress
• How parents can talk about what’s happening without creating fear

Listen if you want calm, realistic tools for sleep, focus, and worry that actually fit real life.

ConnectForHealth is an initiative by Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa, supported by mentl.

As the region moves deeper into prolonged uncertainty, many people are noticing a shift: less adrenaline, more sustained stress, jumpiness, distraction, and emotional drain.

In this ConnectForHealth Special Edition, Scott Armstrong (mentl) and Alison Sharp (Cigna Healthcare MEA) are joined by Dr Jane Halsall, Chartered Counselling Psychologist at Cornerstone Clinic, to explain why this “emotional fatigue” phase can hit hard, and what individuals, families and workplaces can do to protect mental wellbeing.

We cover:

• Why week three (and beyond) can feel psychologically different
• Hyper-vigilance, emotional whiplash, and why you feel more jumpy
• Practical nervous system regulation tools (sleep, movement, grounding)
• The psychological impact of the 24/7 news cycle and media literacy
• Why focus drops at work and how to manage expectations
• How children absorb adult anxiety and how to steady the home environment

Listen now for valuable advice on how to continue navigating the regional tension.

Chapters (10)

00:00 Welcome and why “emotional fatigue” is showing up now
01:56 Why week three and beyond feels different psychologically
04:30 Logic vs emotion: when you’re coping on the surface but drained underneath
06:40 Hyper-vigilance and threat detection mode (why you feel jumpy)
08:38 Practical regulation tools: movement, grounding, and settling the body
12:22 Media literacy and the 24/7 news cycle (reducing overload)
15:00 Poll 1: what’s affecting people most right now
19:09 Why people are struggling to focus at work (and what helps)
38:35 Poll 2: what support would help most over the next 7 days
55:10 Children absorbing adult anxiety and how to steady the environment

In the latest ConnectForHealth episode, Scott Armstrong (mentl) and co-host Maissa Al Khafajy (Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa) are joined by Dr Khaled Kadry, Director of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, Sakina for Children, to explore Parenting in the AI Age: Teens & Digital Screens.

From ChatGPT to TikTok, today’s teens live in a digital-first world. This conversation focuses on practical, realistic tools for parents and carers, including:

• What’s genuinely different for teens today and why it matters
• Screen time, social media, and gaming: risks, warning signs, and what to prioritise
• How dopamine, focus, sleep, and motivation can be affected
• Positive reinforcement that actually works (and why shame backfires)
• Quality time and relationship “banking” so boundaries land better
• How to engage teenagers, build trust, and keep communication open
  What parents should understand about AI tools like ChatGPT

This episode is part of ConnectForHealth, the live wellbeing webinar and podcast series from Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa, produced with support from mentl.

Chapter List:

02:35 What’s genuinely different for teens today
07:15 Key principles for parents (model behaviour, purpose of screen use)
11:43 Mental health risks and warning signs (anxiety, focus, sleep, mood)
16:24 Poll 1: what would help parents most
22:40 Emotional regulation: positive reinforcement, not shame
29:16 Reward systems that work (age-appropriate incentives)
31:14 Quality time first: build the relationship before boundaries
35:46 Teens push boundaries: how to keep trust and communication
40:53 AI and ChatGPT: benefits, risks, and where to draw lines
46:24 Shorts, engaging teens, and practical ways to enter their world

When your world feels uncertain, your nervous system does not wait for permission. It reacts. So how do steady we steady ourselves when things seem out of our control?

In this ConnectForHealth Special Edition, Scott Armstrong, founder of mentl, and co-host Alison Sharp, of Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa. are joined by Dr Joseph R. El-Khoury, Consultant Adult and Addiction Psychiatrist and Co-founder and Medical Director of Valens Clinic in the UAE.

This session is shaped by what many across the GCC and here in the UAE have been living through during heightened geopolitical tension. Even when we are physically safe, the nervous system can still react to uncertainty, constant updates, and triggers like sudden loud sounds.

We cover practical, usable tools including:

• What is happening in the body and brain when you feel on edge
• Why sudden sounds can trigger the stress response
• How past trauma can resurface during crisis
• Finding the small part you can control (routines, boundaries, communication)
• Sleep protection during periods of heightened alertness
• Audience Q&A, including support for family and children

If you want practical, calm tools you can use today, plus honest answers to real audience questions, this is for you.