We are always told to never mix work and friendships in social settings. While it is normal to make friendships at work, you should always keep a professional distance to make sure things do not go sour and start affecting your work. This also means that you do not divulge private information or have private conversations with your colleagues as you may never know how this could be brought up and affect you. This is an unsaid rule in corporate culture that if you are sick or you are coming down with a serious issue, you should never bring it up and keep it to yourself. While this may seem unusual to new workers, it is a very common knowledge for people who have been in the industry for a long time. A new study showed that this is much more common than many people believe!

A new poll shows that a lot of U.S. workers with long-term health problems keep it a secret from their bosses. This affects their health and their jobs. It's a big problem that employers could help fix, which would be good for everyone. This isn't just about people having a sniffle. We're talking about serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and asthma that require ongoing management and can significantly impact a person's life, both inside and outside of work. The fact that so many people feel they need to hide these conditions shows a larger issue of stigma and lack of support in the workplace.

How Does Health Become A Hidden Burden?

Most U.S. workers which were over half of the people, have some kind of long-term health problem. But a lot of them, about 6 out of 10, don't tell their boss. They might be afraid their boss will treat them differently or think they can't do their job. Keeping secrets like this can make it hard to get the help you need at work. It can also make your health problems worse because you're stressed about hiding them. It's a tough situation, and it shows that many workplaces aren't as supportive as they could be.

The poll also found that more than a third of people with health problems have had to miss doctor's appointments because of work. This means they're putting their jobs ahead of their health, which isn't good. It's hard to balance work and health, especially when you have a long-term illness. People need understanding bosses who will let them take time off for important medical stuff. Missing appointments can make health problems worse, and it can also make people feel more stressed and anxious.

Does It Impact Their Career And Well-Being?

Almost half of the workers with health problems said they couldn't even take breaks during the day to take care of themselves. They also said they felt like they'd been passed over for promotions because of their health. And some people even got bad reviews at work because of their health problems. This can make people feel really bad about themselves and their jobs. It can also make their health problems worse because they're so stressed. It's not fair, and it's something that needs to change.

It's not just people with health problems who have a hard time. Lots of people are also taking care of someone at home who is sick. Almost half of these caregivers have to help their sick family member during work hours. And many of them have trouble taking time off to care for their loved ones. Some people even have to work fewer hours, which means less money. This shows how much pressure people are under, trying to juggle work and family and health.

US tech giant Apple today announced that Tim Cook has been elevated to executive chairman of the company and will step down as CEO.

John Ternus, senior vice president of hardware engineering, will succeed Cook as chief executive officer, effective September 1, 2026.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple,” Cook said in an official statement, praising Ternus as someone with “the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity.”

Apple’s Biggest Contribution In Health: Tim Cook

Cook has led Apple since 2011, after the passing of co-founder Steve Jobs. Under Cook, the company shifted from a device company to a consumer health platform company.

“If you zoom out way into the future, and you look back and ask what Apple’s biggest contribution was, it will be in the health area,” Cook said in an interview with WIRED, an American magazine, in 2024.

The company entered the wearables segment with the Apple Watch in 2015. From being a fashion statement, it gradually evolved into a health-focused product.

Under Cook’s leadership, Apple moved from wellness tracking to proactive medical monitoring, with the Apple Watch at its core.

With features ranging from ECG to blood oxygen monitoring and fall detection, it expanded Apple’s ecosystem beyond smartphones.

Cook focused on “democratizing” healthcare by empowering users to track metrics such as AFib, sleep apnea, hypertension, and blood oxygen levels.

Here's a look at various features of Apple devices under Tim Cook that focused on health, ranging from heart to vision to reproductive health.

Heart Health

With advanced features like hypertension notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, the ECG app, and AFib history, the Apple Watch provides users with an invaluable view of their cardiovascular health.

Apple Watch can detect patterns of hypertension that may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

It works by using the optical heart sensor, which provides data to an algorithm that can detect potential hypertension by analysing how blood vessels respond to heartbeats over 30-day periods.

Key features include:

• AirPods Pro 3 come with heart rate sensing, helping users track heart rate and calories burned during workouts. Using LEDs that pulse invisible light 256 times per second, along with sensor fusion from accelerometers, users can get highly accurate data across up to 50 workout types in the Fitness app.

• Apple Watch can measure VO₂ max -- the maximum amount of oxygen the body can consume during exercise.
• If cardio fitness levels are low for age and sex, users receive a notification. Fitness can be improved by increasing the intensity and frequency of cardiovascular exercise.

Hearing Health

The Noise app on Apple Watch sends notifications when environmental noise levels may affect hearing health.

Apple’s AirPods Pro also provide loud sound reduction, lowering sound exposure in environments as loud as 110 dBA.

The Sleep and Activity Tracker

The device tracks sleep, which plays a crucial role in physical and mental health. Apple Watch can monitor sleep and provide a daily sleep score.

Apple Watch Activity Rings enables customizable goals that encourages consistent physical activity. It also provides a daily visual representation of movement through metrics such as:

• move (red, active calories),
• exercise (green, minutes of brisk activity),
• stand (blue, hours with at least one minute of movement).

The Apple Watch Workout app features enhanced training load tracking, custom workout builders for strength training, and new metrics for personalized fitness tracking.

Even without an Apple Watch, users can set a daily Move goal in the Fitness app on iPhone to stay motivated. It tracks steps, distance, flights climbed, and workouts from third-party apps to estimate active calories contributing to the Move goal.

Also read: India Introduces Healthy Lifestyle, Mental Wellness as Priority Areas at BRICS Meet

Period Tracking And Reproductive Health

The Cycle Tracking experience on iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad allows users to log periods and record symptoms or cycle factors for a better understanding of their cycle. It helps with family planning by tracking temperature during sleep and estimating when ovulation likely occurred. Wrist temperature can also improve period predictions.

It also flags for deviations such as irregular, infrequent, or prolonged periods, or persistent spotting.

Further, in the Health app on iPhone or iPad, Cycle Tracking offers additional support during pregnancy, including gestational age tracking and health chart monitoring. It also reminds users to check in on mental health conditions during pregnancy and postpartum periods.

Eye Health

iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch include features designed to support eye health, especially myopia or nearsightedness in children.

The Screen Distance feature on iPhone and iPad uses the TrueDepth camera (also used for Face ID) to detect when a device is held closer than 30.48 cm (12 inches) for extended periods and encourages users to move it farther away.

Users can also store their vision prescription in the Health app. It can be securely saved on iPhone and iPad by taking a photo of the document or entering the details manually.

The first national mental health survey carried out in India, 2015-2016, suggested that one in 10 Indians had a diagnosable psychiatric disorder.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in common mental disorders (particularly anxiety and depression). Worldwide, the age of onset of substance use disorders is reducing, and there has been an increase in synthetic and pharmaceutical drug misuse.

Digital addiction is a growing problem, particularly among young people. Suicide is a major global concern, and in India, there were more than two lakh suicides in 2025. Rising suicides in urban areas and among students have been growing concerns.

Improving Mental Health Literacy

Just like people recognize physical disorders, it is important to improve mental health literacy so that people can recognize symptoms of a mental or psychiatric disorder in themselves or others. It is also important that they reach out for timely help, without a sense of feeling stigmatized.

Often, physical and mental disorders occur together and worsen each other, so addressing both is important to improve health outcomes.

How Government Is Tackling Mental Health Burden

The Government of India has initiated the Tele MANAS (14416) to provide telephonic mental health counselling and to link people up to other services. The National Mental Health Program of India seeks to provide decentralized mental health care at the District levels and below.

The Ayushman Arogya Mandirs also offer basic mental health support. NIMHANS, apart from providing quality institution-based services, has also been closely involved in developing community models of mental health care, working with non-governmental organizations and with community stakeholders. It has also been focusing on expanding human resources through its digital academy.

A second NIMHANS in northern India, strengthening some of the other institutions providing mental health care to expand infrastructure, human resources, and networking to develop a continuum of care from primary to tertiary care settings, is a recent step taken by the Union government.

Urological cancer cases are surging at an alarming rate in India. Yet, many patients continue to seek medical help only when the disease has reached an advanced stage. Doctors highlight that cancers affecting the urinary system are often silent during the initial stages and are ignored by people owing to a lack of awareness and hesitation in consulting an expert. It is important to remember that timely urology screening can help detect cancer early, reduce complications, and improve survival rates. Many people ignore symptoms and seek help only during the advanced stages, when the risk of complications also increases. Experts are urging people, especially those at higher risk, to seek early screening and intervention without delay.

What are urological cancers?

“People should prioritise their well-being and seek timely help,” said Dr Pradeep Rao, Head of Department – Urology Oncoscience, Gleneagles Hospital, Mumbai.

Diagnosis and treatment of urological cancers

Dr Pradeep Rao further explained how early-stage urological cancers are often treatable with less aggressive procedures, while advanced cancers require complex treatment and carry higher risks. Diagnosis is carried out through urine examination, ultrasound, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing to detect cancer early. Timely screening and intervention can not only save lives but also preserve organ function. Advanced techniques such as robotic-assisted surgery are now widely used to provide relief to patients. Robotics has made diagnosis, treatment, and the healing journey much smoother for both patients and doctors.

What are the symptoms of urological cancers?

“Urological cancers such as prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer are rising across age groups, yet many patients seek medical help only when symptoms become severe. Each month, two to three patients in the age group of 30–65 consult me when symptoms worsen and the cancer progresses, which takes a toll on their overall well-being. Moreover, signs and symptoms such as blood in the urine, difficulty in urination, pelvic pain, or unexplained weight loss are often ignored, leading to advanced-stage disease that can cause anxiety and panic among patients. Delayed diagnosis can result in serious complications such as kidney damage, the spread of cancer, and reduced quality of life. Early screening and treatment are life-saving. Currently, a combination of robotic surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted treatments offers better outcomes, but early diagnosis remains the most critical factor for successful recovery,” concluded Dr Anil Bradoo, Consultant Urologist, Zen Annexe, Zen Multispeciality Hospital, Chembur, Mumbai.

What are the benefits of robotic surgeries?

Dr Pradeep Rao also explained the benefits of robotic surgeries. Robotic-assisted prostatectomy for prostate cancer helps with the accurate removal of the prostate while protecting vital nerves, thereby reducing the risk of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Robotic partial nephrectomy is performed for kidney cancer and helps remove diseased kidney tissue while preserving the kidney, with minimal blood loss and quicker healing. The advantages of robotic surgery include precise tumour removal with minimal blood loss, reduced pain and complications, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery. Early-stage patients benefit the most from these modern treatments, which is why awareness and screening are so important.