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.

Better health is not only about motivation or more information. It is about making better decisions consistently, and knowing how to navigate care when you need it.

In this ConnectForHealth episode, Scott Armstrong and Maissa Al Khafajy are joined by renowned author, TV host, and a leading voice in digital health education, Dr Johannes Wimmer to unpack health literacy as a practical skill for optimising your health and getting more value from your health insurance.

The goal is simple: the right care, at the right time, in the right place, so you protect your energy, time, and wellbeing.

In this episode, Dr Wimmer covers:

• What “health literacy” really means, and why it is not about being “medical” or academic
• Why most of health happens outside the clinic, and how to manage the “before and after” of appointments
• How to prepare for a doctor visit so you leave with clarity, not confusion
• The problem of information overload and distractions, and why quick fixes can undermine long-term health
• How to think about support systems and partners in your health journey, including your insurer
• Why healthcare navigation can feel very different depending on the system, and what that means for patient behaviour
• How to communicate symptoms and concerns clearly without locking yourself into a self-diagnosis
• Practical ways to reduce wasted appointments, repeat visits, and frustration
• Why prevention and early action matter, and how to use care more appropriately
• A simple mindset shift to help you take control of your health decisions

Chapter List:

0:00 Intro and why health literacy matters
1:54 What “health literacy” actually means
6:36 Information overload and the danger of “quick fixes”
8:40 Health insurance as a partner, and why appropriate use matters
15:52 How to “get what you want” from a doctor visit
19:49 Health literacy for older adults and chronic conditions
29:52 The real cost of poor health literacy (not only money)
39:21 Checklists and how to present your story clearly to a doctor
44:03 Why filtering symptoms around a self-diagnosis can backfire
58:34 One key takeaway to remember from the whole conversation

Healthy Plate, Healthy Mind isn’t about dieting. It’s about feeling better.

In this timely episode of ConnectForHealth, a Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa initiative in partnership with mentl, host Scott Armstrong (Founder of mentl) and co-host Maissa Al Khafajy (Head of Government Affairs & Strategic Communications, Cigna Healthcare) sit down with Dr Shefali Verma to explore how the food you eat, and when you eat it, can shape your mood, focus, energy, and mental clarity, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

From brain fog and headaches to sleep disruption and cravings, the conversation focuses on the changes that make fasting feel steadier, and the habits that can carry beyond Ramadan.

💬 Topics include:

• The mindset shift that makes Ramadan feel less like deprivation and more like a sustainable lifestyle change
• Meal timing, digestion, and why eating close to bedtime can sabotage sleep quality
• Hydration and electrolytes: why water alone is not always enough
• Breaking the fast: dates, sugar, and small choices that make a big difference
• When to train while fasting, and how to choose what fits your routine
• Constipation during Ramadan, and why it can affect mood, irritability, and anxiety

🎧 Whether you’re fasting for the month, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about the link between nutrition and mental wellbeing, this episode is designed to leave you with clarity you can use immediately.

📌 ConnectForHealth is a podcast and live webinar series from Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa in partnership with mentl, helping you thrive through every stage of life.

Chapter List:

03:35 Ramadan eating window, digestion and sleep basics
05:07 Mindset going into Ramadan (lifestyle vs “diet” thinking)
13:50 Meal timing before bed and improving sleep quality
16:22 Audience questions begin (live Q&A thread kicks off)
22:53 Electrolytes, hydration, headaches and mental clarity
26:56 Breaking the fast: dates, sugar, and practical choices
28:31 When to train during Ramadan (before or after iftar)
33:07 Constipation in Ramadan, mood, and what to do
58:15 Closing and wrap

Failure is uncomfortable - especially when it’s our children experiencing it. But what if failure is one of the most powerful teachers we can give them?

In this episode of ConnectForHealth, host Scott Armstrong, Founder of mentl, and co-host Maissa Al Khafajy, Head of Government Affairs and Strategic Communications at Cigna Healthcare Middle East & Africa, explore The Power of Failure and what setbacks can teach our kids about resilience, confidence, and emotional intelligence.

Joining the conversation are two powerful voices:

• Sebastian Bates, Founder and CEO of The Warrior Academy and The Bates Foundation, whose work in character education is shaped by personal experience - from childhood bullying to a life-changing accident - and who has mentored over 50,000 families across seven countries.
• Lee Ryan, Manager of Sports Excellence and Athlete Development for Cognita Schools Middle East through the Enrich ME programme, bringing a coach’s perspective on how challenge, loss, and failure in sport can shape stronger, more resilient young people.

Together, they unpack:

• Why shielding children from failure can do more harm than good
• How setbacks build confidence, emotional intelligence, and self-belief
• The role parents, coaches, and schools play in reframing failure
• How sport and physical challenge help kids process disappointment
• What failure teaches children that success never can

This is a must for parents, educators, coaches, and anyone involved in shaping young people’s lives.

Chapter List

00:00 – Welcome & episode context
Introduction to Connect for Health and why resilience and failure matter for children.

03:06 – What is resilience really?
Sebastian Bates and Lee Ryan define resilience as coping, recovery, and repetition.

05:24 – The parental instinct to shield children
Why protecting children from pain can unintentionally weaken resilience.

09:02 – Reframing failure
Failure as unmet expectations, learning loops, and the foundation of success.

12:37 – Lived experience and bullying
Sebastian shares his childhood bullying story and how it shaped his work today.

17:47 – How bullying actually works
Body language, empathy, confidence signaling, and practical tools for children.

22:54 – Cyberbullying and digital resilience
Why online bullying is different and how parents can reduce harm and build self-worth.

30:43 – Working parents and quality time
Non-negotiable connection, presence over perfection, and daily rituals that matter.

39:39 – Supporting children through failure
Practical advice for academic pressure, exclusion, and confidence after setbacks.

55:00 – Final reflections and key takeaways
Courage, character, and why failure is a teacher, not a threat.