Trying to figure out what’s best for us is not always easy, and sometimes it can feel like a chore to determine the best health strategies. One day, experts in the media are telling us one thing; the next, a medic says the exact opposite. No wonder we’re confused.
Even something as seemingly simple as coffee and wondering whether it’s good or bad can turn into a baffling struggle, as conflicting expert advice clashes and we end up not knowing what to do.
And then there are those looking for quick fixes, for weight, fitness and overall health. It’s a minefield that can quickly blow up, leaving you worse off than when you began. But more experts are saying that to make the best decisions about our health, time, understanding and long-term consequences are the key to reaching our goals.
Addressing Sleep Issues
We can’t function without proper sleep, yet millions of us are tossing and turning all night. Around a third of adults battle insomnia at some point in their lives, figures suggest, often for prolonged spells. Whatever the causes — stress, anxiety over finances or personal issues, a bad sleeping environment — not getting sufficient sleep can lead to a host of problems.
They range from the obvious tiredness and irritability the next day to more serious issues like a weakened immune system and even obesity and diabetes. Dementia and stroke are long-term risk factors of poor sleep, medical experts say.
Dr. Helena Fowler of Sleep 365, a mattress and bedding retailer with stores across California, advises those thinking about reaching for pills to try solve their sleep problems to take a more holistic approach.
“One decision people often rush is using medication or supplements to fix sleep problems without understanding what’s driving them,” she says. “Over time, masking poor sleep with sleep aids or stimulants can throw off hormone balance, raise cortisol levels and worsen metabolic issues like weight gain and fatigue.”
Women who are experiencing perimenopause, the time before menopause when periods start to become irregular, often use pills to deal with their symptoms, Dr. Fowler says by way of example. They hope the medications will get rid of the hot flashes, mood swings and sleep problems they’ve started having. But they would be better off “addressing underlying shifts in estrogen or thyroid function, which only deepens exhaustion over months or years,” she advises.
“A better starting point is tracking your sleep patterns for two weeks. Note bedtime, wake time, caffeine use, stress and screen habits. Bringing that record to a qualified clinician helps uncover root causes and ensures any treatment aligns with your body’s real needs, not just its symptoms.”
Clinical health coach Amanda Lim goes a step further and says that those of us who think we are healthy and have no real issues should appraise our sleep anyway.
“Even health-minded adults tend to overlook quality sleep as a foundational health habit, when the truth is, poor sleep affects everything from body composition to metabolic disease to mental health,” says Lim, who is a co-founder of LIFT Clinic in Singapore.
“Just getting the head on the pillow at a reasonable hour isn’t enough,” she cautions. “Good sleep needs to be restorative, and factors like alcohol, stress and poor cardiovascular fitness can derail our best efforts.”
Making sure you go to bed at the same time each night is one of the best ways of ensuring you get good-quality sleep, Lim says. “We know that sleep consistency beats even sleep duration for better health outcomes.”
She also advises people to track their “recovery metrics”. They include “Heart Rate Variability, resting heart rate and ‘deep sleep’ minutes”, and you can log them all by using a wearable tracker. “Taking control of your sleep quality sets you up healthier, stronger ageing,” says Lim.
Taking Time to Recover
For those who have been battling addictions and are being treated, it’s important to give it time and not assume you’re over it the moment you start feeling better, medics say. Otherwise you risk relapse, and quickly.
Dr. Caitlyn McClure, vice president of clinical services at Northern Illinois Recovery, a drug and alcohol rehab centre serving the Greater Chicago area, says real and lasting recovery comes with acknowledging that it is a lengthy process.
“Many people rush their recovery by assuming improvement means they’re finished with the process,” says Dr. McClure, adding that the “momentary confidence can be deceptive”.
She advises that “[w]hen therapy or support groups end too soon, unresolved stress and cravings often resurface quietly, leading to setbacks that feel like personal failure.” She says she has had patients who “felt ‘fixed’, only to realise several months later that life’s pressures reopened old habits.
“Sustainable recovery depends on consistency, not speed.”
Instead of quickly deciding to stop treatment, Dr. McClure advises, people should first “create a long-term support map that includes check-ins, routines and people you can lean on. When recovery becomes part of everyday life, not an isolated phase, it has the strength to last”.
Looking and Feeling Our Best
Our appearance can have a big impact on our wellbeing, which is why so many of us turn to plastic surgery options as we age. But how to know what cosmetic procedures are right for us so we end up looking our best?
Dr. Waqqas Jalil, a Board-certified plastic surgeon at Aspect Plastic Surgery in Toronto, Canada, advises that a number of factors should be taken into consideration before going ahead with a surgery.
“People often make surgical choices based on emotion,” he says, “deciding quickly after seeing a friend’s results or social media post, without taking time to assess their goals, health or long-term expectations.”
Dr. Jalil cautions that “[r]ushing that decision can lead to disappointment or the need for revision surgery when outcomes don’t align with what they imagined”.
He said a patient decided on a particular cosmetic procedure in another country but did not understand the level of aftercare that was required. That, says the doctor, led to a problematic and “complicated” recovery.
“The best first step is to schedule at least two consultations with board-certified surgeons,” he suggests. “Comparing advice across specialists helps clarify what’s realistic, what fits your body and whether surgery is truly the right choice — or if lifestyle or non-surgical options would serve better.”
Jennifer Adams, vice president and lead clinical director at the Texas Academy of Medical Aesthetics believes informed decision-making is the best way forward when deciding on cosmetic procedures.
“Plunging into medical or cosmetic surgery without carefully learning whether it suits one’s body is only one of the usual health-associated mistakes that human beings make,” she says.
“In the vast majority of cases, the choice of people depends on the trends on the internet or a very short consultation rather than a detailed examination of their medical history and the evaluation of the appropriateness of the treatment in the long term.”
Patients, she says, usually only realise what they have done much later and it may not have been the best decision for them. “I have encountered those patients who had to receive corrective or follow-up treatment, not because the initial care was unsafe but the first choice was not made considering that the personal priorities or the body might change over the course of time.”
Adams recommends that if you are thinking about a procedure, “slow the process” and make sure to talk to plastic surgeons who give a range of options, including ones that you may not have considered. And they should also point out the risks.
“Being healthy, educated and serene without any panic to follow is usually the best predictor of knowing that the decision taken is an excellent one.”
Seeking Different Opinions, Choices
What about surgery that’s medically necessary or reconstructive? Should you always follow what doctors say and not think about other kinds of surgeries that may be best? Always look for different options, says Dr. Kamaljit K Tiwana, executive director at the Certified Clinical Research Professionals Society (CCRPS), which provides accredited training and certification for clinical research practitioners worldwide.
“One decision I often see rushed is agreeing to surgery without fully understanding all the alternatives,” she says. “For example, I’ve met patients who opted for knee surgery right away, only to realise later that non-surgical treatments like physiotherapy could’ve given similar results and saved them months of recovery and potential complications.”
Dr. Tiwana says the lasting impact of the wrong decisions regarding medical surgeries can be that “people aren’t satisfied with their outcome and struggle with new limitations they didn’t expect.
“Here’s my key advice: Always ask your doctor, ‘What are my other options, and what are the pros and cons of each?’ Taking that one step encourages a real discussion and helps you make a choice that fits not just your diagnosis, but your lifestyle and priorities.”
Over her almost three decades in practice, Dr Tiwana has seen many positive outcomes when patients made the right, informed decisions about their surgery.
“It is important for patients to be actively involved in their healthcare decisions and to advocate for themselves. Informed decision-making involves understanding your options, weighing the risks and benefits and considering your personal values and goals.”
