When it comes to our health, we tend to rely on our own instincts to sense when something is wrong. There are, however, certain conditions develop in ways that make them difficult for an individual to notice, particularly when the symptoms occur while one is asleep or subtle behavioral changes. It is at such moments that your partner, who shares your space and knows one intimately, can be quite important in finding signs that may otherwise escape detection.

The caring partner is not only a buddy—they can become a valuable helpmate in having good health. By noticing a subtle warning and urging medical examination, partners have the ability to detect and manage potentially serious health issues before life-threatening situations set in.

If your partner mentions issues with your sleep habits, mood, or body changes, it's crucial to pay attention to what they are observing. Early detection can go a long way in treating conditions and avoiding complications later on.

One of the most neglected yet severe health problems that a partner is most likely to detect is sleep apnoea—a sleeping disorder that stops and starts breathing, tending to result in serious health dangers. But outside of sleep patterns, there are many other illnesses where a second set of ears and eyes can be life-saving.

What is Sleep Apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is an intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is the most prevalent type and results from an obstruction of the airway that limits airflow, causing temporary stoppages in breathing. Although the individual with sleep apnoea is not aware of these interruptions, a sleeping partner will observe characteristic signs such as:

• Repeated loud snoring
• Gasps, chokes, or snorts
• Excessive awakenings during the night
• Abnormal restlessness while asleep

Daytime symptoms, including severe tiredness, headaches, poor concentration, and mood changes, can also suggest the existence of the condition. Sleep apnoea can cause high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes if left untreated.

If your partner notices these symptoms, obtaining medical guidance and having a sleep study can result in a successful diagnosis and treatment plan, which may include lifestyle modifications, CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy, or surgery in extreme cases.

Subtle Changes That May Signal Underlying Issues

Other than sleep disorders, a partner may also note gradual or sudden behavioral and appearance changes that may signal serious health issues. Examples of these are:

1. Sudden Mood Swings and Irritability

Mood changes, heightened irritability, or depression signs sometimes indicate underlying illnesses like thyroid diseases, diabetes, or even neurological disorders like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's. If your partner points out extreme mood changes in you, it would be advisable to discuss the same with a healthcare professional.

2. Skin Color or Texture Changes

Your spouse might be the first to spot slight changes in your skin, e.g., yellowing (indicative of liver disease), dark spots (which can signal insulin resistance or prediabetes), or abnormal moles (which could be early signs of skin cancer). Skin color change, chronic rashes, or spontaneous bruising should never be taken lightly and should be checked by a doctor.

3. Frequent Night Sweats

Night sweats are sometimes explained by stress or overheating, but regular night sweats might signal infections, endocrine imbalances, or even certain cancers such as lymphoma. If your partner points out that you're always waking up in sweat, a trip to the doctor is advised.

4. Abnormal Breathing or Heart Rate While Sleeping

If your partner observes pauses in your breathing beyond sleep apnoea or notices an irregular heartbeat when you’re at rest, this could indicate underlying cardiovascular issues. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) and other heart-related conditions often present with subtle symptoms that a sleeping or resting individual may not recognize but could be evident to a close observer.

5. Significant Weight Loss or Gain Without Explanation

Unexplained fluctuations in weight accompanied by no diet or exercise plan change can signal thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, or even gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease. Your partner should get medical help investigated if they witness inexplicable fluctuations in weight.

If your partner notices any of these symptoms, it's not good to brush off their worries. Most serious medical conditions are easiest to treat when they are diagnosed early. The following are what to do if a partner is concerned about your health:

Maintain a Symptom Journal: Document any alterations in sleep, behavior, appetite, or body symptoms.

Make an Appointment for a Medical Check-Up: Even when you are feeling well, a medical professional can conduct tests to eliminate any underlying causes.

Undergo Diagnostic Testing: If symptoms are indicating problems such as sleep apnoea, diabetes, or heart disease, your physician may advise you to undergo a sleep study, blood work, or heart monitoring.

Make Lifestyle Changes: Many of these conditions, including sleep apnoea and heart disease, can be alleviated by weight reduction, a healthy diet, and proper exercise.

Anybody who has ever been on a weight-loss journey understands the thrill of watching progress on the scale. That progress, however, tends to come to a screeching halt when only a few of those pesky pounds are left. Ironically, losing the last 5 pounds may be harder than losing 50.

Early in your weight loss, basic lifestyle changes—such as substituting sweet drinks for healthier beverages or taking more daily steps—can be quite productive. However, as you near your ideal weight, your body becomes more resistant to weight loss. This is because your body has an intrinsic set range of weight that it will fight to maintain. The thinner you get, the more your body resists letting go of its stores of energy, and therefore weight loss is harder to achieve.

Also, as your weight decreases, so does your basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the amount of calories your body expends at rest. A lighter body needs fewer calories to operate, so the diets and workouts that worked at first may no longer work. Even exercise that once burned a lot of calories now provides decreasing returns.

If you find yourself stuck on this plateau, don't panic. You've already done the toughest part. It's time now to make small, expert-recommended tweaks that can finally bring you over the finish line.

3 Things That You Can Help You Lose Weight

It's simple to write off a paltry 5 pounds as nothing, but retaining excess fat—particularly visceral fat—can cause metabolic problems. Visceral fat, the internal belly fat that encases your organs, leads to insulin resistance, fatty liver, and even inflammation of the pancreas. These problems can ultimately cause weight gain in the midsection, tiredness, and even puffiness in the hands, feet, and face.

By shifting your focus from the scale to metabolic health, you’ll not only drop those last few pounds but also improve your overall well-being. The good news? Achieving this requires only three fundamental changes, followed consistently for eight weeks.

1. Optimize Your Sleep Routine

A regular sleep routine is key to long-term weight loss, especially when focused on visceral fat. Your body controls fat storage and metabolism through hormones such as cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin—all of which are directly influenced by the quality of your sleep.

To ensure optimal fat burning, stick to a consistent sleep routine:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same hour each day, including weekends.
• Strive for 7–9 hours of good quality sleep each night.
• Steer clear of blue light from screens at least one hour prior to sleep.
• Cut down on afternoon caffeine consumption to avoid interrupted sleep patterns.

Controlled sleep habits stabilize cortisol levels, which in turn avoids excessive fat storage, especially around the abdominal area.

2. Take a Daily 30–45 Minute Walk in Nature

Exercise is a building block of weight loss, yet not all exercises provide the same metabolic payoff. Rather than boosting your gym time or running on the treadmill, focus on outdoor walking in daylight.

Why? Natural light exposure regulates your circadian rhythm, maximizing cortisol metabolism. This maximizes insulin sensitivity and fat loss. Walking outdoors also promotes mindfulness, which leads to reduced stress—a major source of belly fat.

To add this to your daily routine:

• Take a minimum of 30–45 minutes' walk each day, ideally early morning.
• Select nature trails, parks, or quiet neighborhoods instead of indoor gyms or treadmills.
• Keep your pace consistent but prevent high-intensity spikes, which can cause a surge in cortisol levels.

In just eight weeks, this subtle adjustment can remarkably speed up fat loss and lead to improved hormonal balance.

3. Emphasize High-Satiety Whole Foods

Diet is key to losing those final few pounds, but severe calorie cutting or eliminating entire food groups isn't the answer. Rather, eat whole foods with a high satiety index—foods that fill you up longer and give you the nutrients you need.

Strive for a diet made up of at least 75% whole, minimally processed foods. These are:

• Lean Proteins: Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and plant protein sources such as lentils.
• Fiber-Rich Vegetables: Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower), and bell peppers.
• Healthy Fats: Avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
• Complex Carbohydrates: Quinoa, sweet potatoes, oats, and legumes.

Avoid ultra-processed foods, high sugar, and artificial sweeteners, which interfere with metabolic processes and stimulate cravings.

Do You Really Need to Lose the Last 5 Pounds?

If you’ve followed these strategies and still struggle to shed those last few pounds, it may be time to reassess whether they truly matter. Rather than focusing solely on weight, pay attention to more meaningful health markers like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar.

Moreover, if you’ve incorporated strength training into your fitness routine, your scale weight may stay the same—or even increase—due to muscle gain. Muscle is denser than fat, so a leaner, stronger body may not always reflect a lower number on the scale.

If achieving the last 5 pounds necessitates drastic limitations or unhealthy behaviors, it is perhaps more worthwhile to redirect your energy toward embracing a balanced, healthy lifestyle instead of fixating on a random number. Ultimately, health is about more than what the scale reads—it's about feeling strong, energized, and confident in your body.

The last leg of your weight-loss journey calls for strategic, thoughtful adjustments and not drastic action. By setting a regular sleep pattern, adopting outdoor activity, and focusing on whole, nutrient-rich foods, you can now overcome your plateau and achieve your healthiest state.

Stick to these proven-by-experts strategies for a mere eight weeks, and you might discover not only does the fat disappear but your overall well-being and health improve dramatically as a bonus.

Tuberculosis (TB) killed 1.25 million people in 2023 alone, as per data from the World Health Organisation (WHO). With rising cases, it has probably returned to being the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, following three years in which it was replaced by coronavirus disease (COVID-19). While it is known to be a condition impacting the lungs, there are rare cases where it spreads outside the lungs (extrapulmonary TB). One of them is breast Tuberculosis (TB).

What Is Breast TB An How Does It Spread?

The first case of breast TB was recorded by Sir Astley Cooper who described it as "scrofulous swelling of the bosom”. Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and affects primarily the lungs. Breast Parenchyma (the glandular and ductal tissue within the breast, which is responsible for milk production and storage) is resistant to this TB-causing bacteria. However, in several cases, it is spread to the breast tissue. In primary form, it is spread of infection through abrasions in the skin of the breast or through cracks in the nipple. The secondary form of this disease can be caused by the retrograde spread from infected axillary lymph nodes, or by direct spread from tissue in the ribs, sternum, shoulder joint, costochondral cartilage, or pleura adjacent to the mammary gland tissue.

According to a 2012 study, Breast TB is an uncommon form of the disease occurring outside the lungs, comprising less than 0.1% of breast conditions in developed nations but rising to 3-4% in regions with high tuberculosis prevalence like India and Africa. It primarily affects women of reproductive age who have given birth and are lactating.

Causes Of Breast TB

There are several ways in which you can contract breast TB. The top three of them are:

• Hematogenous spread which is the most common and results in lung infection
• Lymphatic spread via dissemination to more specifically axillary lymph nodes
• Direct spread from the chest wall or pleura

It is pertinent to note that this condition is common among people with compromised immunity levels. The list includes HIV positives and those taking immunosuppressive medications.

How To Identify Breast TB?

• A painless, firm lump is the most common presentation
• Some people may feel pain or even tenderness at some point
• Nipple discharge which may be bloody or purulent
• The overlying skin may show ulceration, dimpling, or sinus tract formation
• Swelling of the axillary lymph nodes.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious global health crisis, impacting millions of individuals every year. While a lot of focus is placed on the physical symptoms of the condition, its psychological impact is often overlooked. Not only do patients experience the direct consequences of the condition but they also suffer greatly from psychological issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Research has shown that TB patients often have higher levels of psychological distress caused by social stigma, long treatment durations, economic burdens, and separation.

Dr. Shweta Bansal, Sr. Consultant & Unit Head - Respiratory Disease & Sleep Medicine, points out that psychological distress can change patterns of gene expression, resulting in immune responses that exacerbate TB symptoms and interfere with treatment outcomes. Stress and anxiety affect TB susceptibility and progression, and therefore mental health interventions are a critical part of TB care. Without incorporating mental health support into TB treatment, patient adherence decreases, and the risk of complications, such as drug resistance, increases.

Neglected Symptoms of Drug-Resistant TB

A growing worry is the increased prevalence of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) in young adults. Most in this age bracket view work and lifestyle needs above their health, and as such, early TB symptoms are ignored. "Young adults work long hours, ignoring symptoms of sickness in the name of hustle culture," opines Dr. Bansal. Symptoms of common DR-TB, including chronic cough, low-grade fever, tiredness, and loss of weight, are usually attributed to stress or fatigue. The fact that the symptoms are delayed allows the infection to advance, making treatment more difficult and elevating the risk of transmission.

Early diagnosis is important to avert DR-TB from gaining more ground among younger generations. Yet, the stigma of TB tends to prevent young adults from visiting doctors, further worsening the situation. Dr. Bansal opines, "Adolescents need to recognize unusual health changes and see doctors early. Health precedes continuous work in avoiding severe complications of TB."

Environmental and Lifestyle Factors Increasing DR-TB Risk

Although tobacco smoking—cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vaping—is a recognized risk factor for TB, there are other environmental and lifestyle factors that increase susceptibility substantially. According to Dr. Bansal, air pollution, excessive stress, and poor nutrition weaken immunity and make young adults susceptible to TB infection.

Also, the abuse of antibiotics contributes to DR-TB emergence. "Taking antibiotics repeatedly for everyday respiratory infection may lead to antibiotic resistance, and TB becomes harder to treat," she clarifies. Poor living conditions with high-density populations, like group apartments or hostels, also increase the risk of exposure to TB germs. These combined circumstances contribute to an environment where TB germs have a chance to survive, making prevention and early detection more pressing.

Danger of Misdiagnosed TB and the Role of Awareness

One major obstacle to the control of TB is misdiagnosis. TB cases often go undiagnosed as the symptoms are similar to usual respiratory infections, allergies, or flu during seasonal times. Chronic cough, low fever, and persistent fatigue are often brushed off as minor illness. Physical signs, like lumps in the neck or under the arm—TB's possible early warning signs—are often overlooked or attributed to other infections, warns Dr. Bansal.

Misdiagnosis leads to delayed treatment, with TB developing into drug-resistant strains. "Young adults do not usually consider TB as a risk, so they may not seek early testing. This delay allows for drug-resistant TB to progress, making it difficult to treat," reports Dr. Bansal. Awareness, early screening, and education regarding symptoms of night sweats and unexplained weight loss are all key to tackling this increasing epidemic.

Mental Health Cost of Drug-Resistant TB

In addition to the physical hardship, drug-resistant TB has a serious psychological cost. The long and frequently painful treatment process—months of aggressive antibiotic therapy—can be extremely emotionally taxing. Depression and anxiety are common among TB patients, compounded by social isolation and economic hardship.

Depression, a global mental health condition, is suffered by about 4.4% of the world's population. The South-East Asia region carries a heavy burden, and India alone has about 18% of the world's depression cases. Dr. Bansal points out that "depression can arise from interruptions in daily life, social isolation, disease stigma, and TB symptoms. In extreme cases, depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and a poor quality of life."

Coping strategies are essential in addressing the psychological burden of DR-TB. Support systems, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes can assist patients in coping with the emotional burden of their condition. Dr. Bansal promotes the incorporation of mental health interventions into TB treatment, citing that "it is imperative that mental health treatments be integrated into TB care in conjunction with initiatives to lessen stigma and enhance social support."

The quiet outbreak of drug-resistant TB among young adults necessitates immediate intervention. Increased awareness, early diagnosis, and treatment strategy in full range—including mental care—are crucial for stemming this mounting health threat. While hustle culture keeps on motivating young people to ignore their wellbeing, solving the problem of TB in this population calls for an all-round plan that puts prime importance on education, preventive management, and sturdy healthcare system.

Finally, fighting DR-TB requires changing public attitudes. TB is not just an old disease—a disease of the past—it is still an ongoing and urgent international challenge. Only by taking early measures, raising awareness at the lifestyle level, and adopting comprehensive healthcare measures can we ensure that DR-TB does not become an even more dangerous public health challenge.

Dr. Shweta Bansal is a Sr. Consultant & Unit Head of Respiratory Disease & Sleep Medicine (Unit II) at Artemis Hospitals in India.