The real reason your baby is waking up at 4am despite you following the ‘correct' bedtimes – there's sleep science to it
Hannah Hiles took to her TikTok account '
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Hannah has revealed the science behind her sleeping technique
Credit: TikTok
Speaking to her followers, she said: 'If you're putting your baby to bed at 7pm and expecting them to sleep until 7am, you might be in for a surprise when they wake up as early as 4 or 5am.'
She continued: 'I've helped hundreds of families get sleep with no sleep training. I've never used
The Ferber method, for those unfamiliar, is a sleep training technique where parents gradually increase the time they wait before comforting a crying baby or child.
The aim is to help the baby learn to self-soothe and fall asleep independently by allowing them to cry for short, increasing
periods
before receiving external comfort.
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Hannah explained: 'So babies under six months old, their average night-time sleep is nine to 10 hours.
'So if you are putting your baby to bed at 7pm it is very reasonable that they wake up at 4am.
'Now over six months the average night-time sleep is 10 to 11 hours. Same thing if you put your baby to bed at 7pm it's reasonable that they wake up at 5am.
'Or what can happen is they can be super super restless and wakeful throughout the night and then sleep a little bit later in the morning.
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'But either way you are either going to get a very busy night or start the day before the birds. What you want to do is push out that bedtime."
Hannah explained that one of the reasons parents struggle to do this is because their babies either have too few naps for their age or their naps are too close together and often too short.
Molly-Mae swears by £22 Dunelm buy she 'can't go anywhere without' for great sleep & says it's the 'best thing' she owns
She said: 'So what you want to do is stretch out your wake windows.
'In the morning it is fine to stretch out your wake window, depending on your little one's age but over six months they should be able to go 2.5 to 3 hours at least and then stretch out the second one.
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'And then that third nap of the day you are going to have that as a super short even 15 to 30 minutes depending on your little one's age.
'The closer they are to 6 months, [then] 30 minutes, the further from 6 months they are, [then] around 15.
'And that's going to be your bridge nap.
'Now you can have that as late in the day as like 5pm because if your little one is under 6 months old, like this one is four months old, you want to be having that nap at like 6pm so that they are going to bed at like 9pm.
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Those are the unicorn babies, they are not average, trust me
Hannah Hiles
'Don't try to get rid of naps because what can happen is if you get rid of a nap too early then they go to bed too early and then they can have a false start because they think that's a nap or they can just be super restless."
Hannah believes it is better for parents and their babies to have a slightly later bedtime to allow for a more restful night.
She said: 'Late bedtimes are temporary, that bedtime will become earlier.
'Now my two sons are nearly 4 and nearly 2 and they both fall asleep around 8, 8.15 and they sleep to around 7, 7.30 the
next
morning.
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Bedtime
'You will get nights like that whenever they get a little bit older but I have never had a bedtime any earlier than like 8pm really with either of them."
She added: 'So that's reasonable for yours as well.
'Some babies will sleep 7 to 7, some babies will sleep 15 hours a night. Those are the unicorn babies, they are not average, trust me."
Hannah's video gained 930.9k views and 2,418 comments after just three days, sparking a mix of reactions from viewers.
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One wrote: 'Well your science is wrong.'
A second added: 'This is the opposite of what my night nanny taught me. We did 7-7 and it was amazing.'
These parents whose babies sleep 7-7 either have above average sleeping babies
Hannah Hiles
And a third said: 'This isn't true at all. The earlier I put mine to bed the later they sleep in the mornings!'
But speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Hannah responded to the backlash: 'All the negative comments are from people arguing that what I'm saying is not accurate because their baby sleeps 7-7 or 12 hours a night.
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'What I'm saying in the video is that the average is 10-11 hours overnight and if your baby does more they are above the average.
'I talk about how sleep training isn't good for babies and show parents a way to get sleep without sleep training, which I've done for hundreds of families.
Science sleeping
'These parents whose babies sleep 7-7 either have above average sleeping babies or they've sleep trained their baby and they're triggered by my science stance on this.
'The positive comments are from families who do experience wakefulness and sleep deprivation at night because they're aiming for the 7-7 night sleep which isn't attainable for most babies.
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'They feel validated that someone said it so they can figure out their baby's individual sleep needs.
'I take a very factual scientific stance to sleep and sleep pressure and help parents achieve sleep without sleep training and I guess this makes parents who are sleep trained feel exposed and triggered.'
The best sleep routine and environment
Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, TEMPUR® sleep specialist & sleep counsellor, reveals the key components of a good bedtime routine and environment...
A sure-fire way to facilitate a better night's sleep is to practice good sleep hygiene.
Establish a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it.
This will help your body establish a consistent, natural sleep-wake cycle which can do wonders for your overall sleep quality.
As such, try to avoid making up for lost sleep with a lie-in.
Instead of sleeping in, spend your morning reading a book in bed or having a leisurely coffee in the kitchen.
Ensure that your bedroom, bedding, and sleepwear are fit for purpose too.
The ideal sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool – much like a cave.
If you find unwelcome sources of light are keeping you up, consider investing in an eye mask or black-out curtains.
Adding soft furnishings can be a great way to reduce noise, with the surfaces having an absorptive quality, but if this doesn't work, consider embracing a soothing soundtrack to block it out.
In terms of temperature, try to keep your bedroom at 18°C. You can further reduce the risk of waking up due to overheating by ensuring that all your bedding and sleepwear is made with natural, breathable materials such as cotton and linen.
Bear in mind that everyone is different; what might work for most, may not work for you!
Whilst knowing how much sleep you should get, how to overcome common barriers, and practicing good sleep hygiene can facilitate a great night's sleep, if you continue to struggle with sleep or fatigue persistently, do not hesitate to visit a doctor or health professional for support.
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The Irish Sun
7 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Fat jabs are a nightmare for anorexics – I'll never get over my girl Nikki's death but I'd worry if she was still here
Sue Grahame makes a stark warning four years on from her beloved daughter's death, and recalls Big Brother star Nikki's tragic last days in unbearable pain and unable to bathe or dress herself DYING TO BE THIN Fat jabs are a nightmare for anorexics – I'll never get over my girl Nikki's death but I'd worry if she was still here NIKKI Grahame was just seven years old when her mum said she came home from gymnastics club upset because another child had said her bum looked big in her leotard. That one tiny comment sparked the beginnings of an eating disorder in Nikki, which would see her spend the next decade in more than 18 different institutions, including two-and-a-half years in Great Ormond Street Hospital. Advertisement 16 Nikki Grahame shot to fame on Big Brother in 2006 Credit: Getty 16 Nikki with mum Sue Grahame before her 2021 death from anorexia Credit: David Cummings 16 Sue said she'll never get over the loss of her 'darling Nikki' Credit: David Cummings When she shot to fame on Big Brother in 2006, fans had no idea that behind her iconic diary chair meltdowns was a lifelong struggle with anorexia so severe that even the most experienced doctors described it as "the worst they'd ever seen." Now in a raw and emotional interview, Nikki's devoted mum Sue relives her gruelling journey with anorexia and recalls the last days before her tragic death from the disease, aged just 38. And she warns against the use of skinny jabs such as Ozempic or Mounjaro by people who are already slim - saying it could trigger or worsen eating disorders. 'Worst they'd ever seen' "I think these jabs are a nightmare for people with eating disorders because they are already skinny and it means they can restrict their food even more," Sue, now 71, told The Sun. Advertisement "It would have been a worry for me while Nikki was alive. I don't know if Nikki would have taken them or not. She was already limiting her calories every single day, that was a huge part of her life. "I wouldn't have let her take the jabs, I'd have said, 'over my dead body'. "For people like Nikki, everything is counted, measured and weighed; it becomes their whole life. She would weigh herself before breakfast and again after each meal. It's constant. "To me, it's a short-term fix, to get an injection, because you need an education on how to look after your body, how to nurture it, how to nourish it. And just getting an injection, that's not going to change your ways, is it?" Advertisement When shown examples of "thinspiration' content which can be found on social media sites such as TikTok, where influencers post images of ultra thin women and what they eat, Sue was shocked. 'Nikki used to go on sites like this and look at this kind of thing," she said. Nikki Grahame goes mad in Big Brother house in emotional scenes in new documentary 'I know when I've walked into the room and she suddenly turned her phone off. 'Back then there were lots of websites about how to be as thin as you can. These people should be bloody locked up. It's disgusting. Advertisement 'People should be locked up' 'I can honestly say I've never been on a diet. Never. And so it wasn't something Nikki learned from me." Sue said the first signs of Nikki's anorexia came when she was seven and she suddenly stopped eating and became withdrawn. 'There was the comment from the girl in gymnastics and she started to become withdrawn, that was the first sign," Sue said. "She started to get smaller and very picky with her food, so the alarm bells started to ring. Advertisement 'I took her to the GP and he stood her in front of him and he asked her what she had eaten today. Of course she lied to him. 'She was so young, doctors refused to believe there was anything wrong with her." 16 Nikki became known for her meltdowns and tantrums in the diary room Credit: Rex 16 Nikki was just seven when she started suffering from anorexia Credit: David Cummings Advertisement 16 Nikki on the balcony of the London flat where she died age 38 Credit: David Cummings Sue remembers being fobbed off by doctors until one day, Nikki was so weak she couldn't stand, and she carried her into the GP surgery where she refused to move until they admitted her daughter to hospital. "I didn't want her to be admitted to hospital but I couldn't get her to eat anything, she'd trick me," Sue said. 'It got to the point where I had to make her eat naked so she wouldn't stuff food in her knickers or anything. Advertisement 'Because it started so young, by the time Nikki became an adult it was so engrained for her. Her purpose, her way of life, was to stay as thin as possible. 'She was very competitive about it. She'd walk on to a ward and want to be the skinniest anorexic in there. I would despair. 'When she was in Great Ormond Street, she had this wonderful doctor Professor Bryan Lask and he said 'You're not the worst I've ever seen Nikki, you are by far the worst I've ever seen' - and he travelled the world lecturing on anorexia." 'Don't leave me mummy' Sue recalls the heartbreaking day she left seven-year-old Nikki as an inpatient in hospital for the first time. Advertisement 'She kept saying 'Mummy don't leave' and I said, 'Nikki I don't have a choice because you won't eat for me'," Sue said. 'Then they said, 'You can't see or speak to her for two weeks'. I said no, but they insisted. 'As we were leaving Nikki was screaming and these people just came from nowhere and pinned her down on the floor while we were rushed out of the unit. It was hell on earth, it was unnecessarily cruel." Sadly, Nikki did not improve. Advertisement She refused to eat and became so thin nurses would have to force her to eat through a nasal tube. 'It got to the point where I had to make her eat naked so she wouldn't stuff food in her knickers or anything Sue Grahame Later on, she had to have a tube fitted surgically direct to her stomach as she kept pulling the nasal tube out, but that didn't work either as she pulled the tube out of her body. Sometimes she'd be sedated for a month at a time, as doctors desperately tried to increase her BMI with forced feeds. Sue said it some of the treatments were so "cruel" it was "gut-wrenching". Advertisement 'The whole system of trying to treat anorexics it doesn't work," Sue said. 'I've been to all those units and some of them are pitiful. 16 Nikki spent most of her life from age 7 to 18 in and out of eating disorder units Credit: David Cummings 16 Nikki before she entered the Big Brother house Credit: David Cummings 16 Nikki's anorexia worsened during Covid Credit: Splash Advertisement 'In my mind none of them delivered for Nikki, it just strengthened her resolve. 'There was one place that I'd have to bring her back to after a weekend visit home or something, and she'd lie on the floor and beat her hands and feet and scream and cry and say 'Mum don't leave me here, please don't leave me!' 'But I didn't have a choice because she wouldn't eat for me, what was I supposed to do? 'Barbaric' treatments 'There was one place where they'd melt Mars bars down and make them set the table until it was gone and if they didn't finish it they'd have to sleep on the kitchen floor. Advertisement "At one point she was put her under for a month to be tube fed. So I just used to go and sit by her bed and talk to her and hold her hand. 'She'd wake up and say 'I can feel all that food inside of me - I can't take it mum, it's torture'. 'Staff weren't always very kind. A lot of things I could accept if it was making a difference but it wasn't. 'It was very barbaric and cruelty just doesn't work." Advertisement Nikki's admissions to hospital stopped when she reached 18, but her struggles with anorexia continued and she also developed severe OCD behaviour around hygiene and preparing food. Sue said she was supportive of Nikki entering Big Brother because she was pleased to see her having some fun after the "hell" she'd been through as a child, however she did worry about how she'd cope with her eating disorder in such an environment. 'Going on Big Brother was great for her, it did give her a taste of a normal life, but obviously those demons were always there," she said. Because it started so young, by the time Nikki became an adult it was so engrained for her. Her purpose, her way of life, was to stay as thin as possible Sue Grahame "When she got a call to say she had been chosen she started jumping around saying, 'I'm in, I'm going into Big Brother!' Advertisement 'I was pleased for her but worried because at the time she couldn't eat in front of people and she wouldn't allow people to cook for her. 'I couldn't even cook for her because it she had this OCD as part of her illness and she became obsessed with hygiene. 'She had to clean her own plates before she'd eat on them, she had lots of rules. "That was the thing that worried me. But I just thought you know she's been in hospital from age seven til 18. Give the girl a bloody break. She had no life up to that point. Advertisement 'This is why she used to have hissy fits in the Big Brother house because she learned in these units that if you shouted the loudest you'd get attention. "I used to watch her on the live stream and I could see she was having fun but I also knew when the s**t was going to hit the fan. I could predict it when she was heading for a meltdown. I'd think 'Christ here we go' and all of a sudden she'd let rip." 16 Nikki won a National TV Award for her appearance on Big Brother in 2006 Credit: Rex 16 Mum Sue with Nikki as a baby Credit: David Cummings Advertisement 16 Sue said she vowed to always support Nikki through her illness Credit: David Cummings After Big Brother, Nikki enjoyed the fame the show brought and would travel the country doing appearances, even landing herself a magazine column. She entered the Big Brother house a total of five times, including the Canadian version. When TV work dried up, she moved to Nice, France where she worked in a Hard Rock Cafe branch, and learnt to speak French. Advertisement After moving back to London, she went back to college to try and get her Maths and English GCSE and got a job in a local junior school as a teaching assistant. Sue said that in the years after Big Brother "she held her own" in her battle against anorexia, but Covid exacerbated her condition. Nikki would walk on to a ward and want to be the skinniest anorexic in there. I would despair Sue Grahame 'She had a flat with a gym so she wouldn't come and stay with me during Covid, but then they closed the gym and so she spent £900 on a cross trainer," Sue said. 'I used to illegally drive up to London because she was so isolated. Advertisement 'And while I was there she'd get on this cross trainer obsessively and I'd beg her to stop. I'd say, 'I don't want to lose you' and she'd say 'I'm not going anywhere. I said, 'Yeah that's what Karen Carpenter said'. 'Covid definitely didn't help Nikki, but I can't help feeling she'd already thrown the towel in. 'Because for months before, we'd be walking. I'd turn around, she'd be on the floor. Her legs would just gave way. 'Her body was packing up. She had been starved for so long. She never even had periods. Advertisement "I don't think she was ever meant to make old bones in this world." 16 Big Brother gave Nikki the chance to travel the country doing PAs and writing magazine columns Credit: PA 16 Nikki with her friend Imogen Thomas Credit: INSTAGRAM/IMOGEN THOMAS 16 Mum Sue was pleased to see Nikki enjoy life after her difficult childhood Credit: David Cummings Advertisement 16 Sue said life has been tough since Nikki's death but she's trying hard to heal Credit: David Cummings In the weeks before her death, both Sue and social services tried to encourage Nikki to become an inpatient again but she refused. Instead she decided to travel to her mum's in Dorset, stopping on the way at a pharmacy to pick up her meds. 'She was only 10 minutes away when she passed out in the pharmacy, hit her head on the floor and they had to blue light her in to Dorchester hospital," Sue said. Advertisement 'She was in there for two weeks and I went in every day for the two weeks because it was just a regular ward, not an eating disorder unit and I wanted to take the weight off of the nurses because she needed supervising. 'If they brought her food, it would either go down the toilet or in the bin or out the window. 'I moved into a Premier Inn so that I could just walk there each day and I used to shower her and and watch her eat her meals. 'The mental health team said there was an eating disorders unit but it only had six beds and they were full. That might have made the difference. Advertisement I have never been loved as much as Nikki loved me Sue Grahame 'The nurses at the hospital were quite aggressive with her. Maybe they resented her. No one ever has any patience for anorexics. 'Her BMI was dangerously low. She was just skin and bones. She was pitiful to look at. "Then this nurse came in and said 'This isn't the place for you. This is a surgical ward. Nikki if you can walk up and down those steps outside there you can go home tomorrow. 'And I looked at her and the state Nikki was in and I couldn't believe it." Advertisement Final journey Nikki was discharged from hospital later that day alone and took a taxi to her flat in London. 'She rang me from the taxi and said 'Hi Mum, I'm on my way home'. She was so weak, I couldn't believe they'd discharged her," Sue said. "She told me she really needed the toilet and the poor thing had an accident in the taxi she was so ill. I told her to get her friend to come over when she was at home and help her clean up and then I'd come over in the morning. 'Then she rang me up half three that morning. She used to do that a lot but it was usually when she was out clubbing. Advertisement 'She said 'My friend came around and she helped me in the bath and put me in my jimmy jammies and then she saw me into bed, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm coping all right. ''I've just got up and been to the loo by myself on my walker.' 'I said, 'Every day take it slowly, you're not in a hurry, you'll get there. 'She said, 'Mum I'm tired. I love you.' I told her to go to bed and that I loved her." Advertisement Nikki died that same morning. Sue was on a train on her way to London when Nikki's friend called her and broke the news. 'Goodbye darling' She rushed to Nikki's flat, where she said her final goodbye. 'I just lay on the bed with Nikki and cried," she said. Advertisement 'The worst thing was watching the undertakers come and put her in a body bag and taking her out. 'I went down in the lift with them and we got to the outside door and I said 'Which side is her head?' 'They said it's up there. I just stroked the bag from the outside and said 'Goodbye darling'. It's awful, awful. I'll never get over it. It was the worst day of my life." Sue said she blames the hospital for Nikki's death and even looked into taking legal action but no law firm would take the case. Advertisement She believes it was irresponsible for them to discharge her when she "couldn't even bathe herself or dress herself" and says she should have been transferred to a mental health unit. 'Even if I'd have taken it to court and won, I didn't want the money," Sue said. "I wanted things to change. Maybe I would have tried to get a unit built somewhere that would help others with anorexia. 'That nurse shouldn't have said, 'If you walk up and down the stairs, you can leave', because she clearly wasn't well enough to leave the hospital. If that's a rule, it shouldn't be. Advertisement 'Nikki died on a Saturday morning. And I was walking my dog on the Monday morning when that same nurse rang. She was crying and she said, 'I'm so, so sorry. She shouldn't have gone home.' 'They shouldn't have let her home just because she put a bit of pressure on. She didn't know what was best for her." Signs and symptoms of anorexia if you're under 18, your weight and height being lower than expected for your age if you're an adult, having an unusually low body mass index missing meals, eating very little or avoiding eating any foods you see as fattening believing you are fat when you are a healthy weight or underweight taking medication to reduce your hunger (appetite suppressants) your periods stopping (in women who have not reached menopause) or not starting (in younger women and girls) physical problems, such as feeling dizzy, dry skin and hair loss Four years on from Nikki's April 2021 death, Sue says she's still struggling emotionally. She has relocated from Dorset and lives in East Sussex with her chihuahua Joey. Advertisement Just two months ago, she suffered another heartbreak when she had to have Baby, Nikki's chihuahua who she had cared for since before her death, put to sleep aged 19. 'Until the day I take my last breath I won't get over Nikki's loss," she said. 'Nothing in this world scares me anymore because the worst possible thing has happened. "Life is tough, but since I came down here I'm trying extremely hard. I've made a couple of really good friends. Advertisement 'But I have to say I have never been loved as much as Nikki loved me. And it wasn't because I was a pushover, it was because from day one of her illness I was fighting for her. 'I try and be philosophical because at the end of the day, she was mine for 38 years. How lucky was I? And people still write lovely things about her. They still love her. 'She wasn't everybody's cup of tea but for me she was very special. And even if I died tomorrow, I know I was truly loved in my life, and that's something not everybody can say." Advertisement If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, the charity Beat offers support, call the helpline on 0808 801 0677
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Never ever go on Mounjaro' says influencer who lost 6lbs in 2 days but was left ‘dying & crawling on the floor
Find out everything you need to know about fat jabs MOUNJAR-NO 'Never ever go on Mounjaro' says influencer who lost 6lbs in 2 days but was left 'dying & crawling on the floor INFLUENCER and YouTube star Tana Mongeau has issued a dramatic warning to fans after trying the weight loss jab Mounjaro. The US star, 26, says it left her crawling on the floor and feeling like she was "dying". Advertisement 5 Tana Mongeau warned fans to never go on Mounjaro Credit: Getty 5 The influencer said she lost 6ibs in 2 days Credit: Youtube 5 Tana, 26, says the effects left her 'dying' & 'crawling on the floor' Credit: Youtube Tana Mongeau, who boasts over 5 million followers, opened up about her experience with the controversial injection on her podcast Cancelled with Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofield on YouTube. Speaking to co-host Brooke Schofield, Tana didn't hold back about how badly the medication affected her, despite shedding 6lbs in just two days. 'So I shot up Mounjaro,' she began. 'And this is the biggest public service announcement to the whole wide world to never, ever, ever do it. I have been dying this week. Like, dying. Like, crawling on the floor.' Advertisement The reality star, who's known for her chaotic storytelling and viral moments, said she was so nauseous she had to take Zofran – a prescription anti-sickness medication – every day for breakfast just to cope. She claims the fat jab left her "gripping the walls". Tana added: 'I don't wanna get into the bowels. But they are not regular. They're not okay. Or too regular.' The 26-year-old claimed she was sleeping for more than 12 hours at a time and even joked: 'I think I have osteoporosis now because of it.' Advertisement She admitted that the jab worked fast and she felt 'tiny' after dropping the weight almost instantly and said she was happily eating protein. But the side effects weren't worth it. 'I am done with it,' she said. 'I don't think I'll ever do it again.' Doc gives advice on how to tackle Mounjaro side effect of excess loose skin Mounjaro is a diabetes drug that's recently gained popularity in Hollywood and on TikTok as an off-label weight loss injection. It works by mimicking a hormone that helps regulate appetite and blood sugar levels but it's known to cause strong gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. Advertisement Tana's extreme reaction, including severe nausea, exhaustion, disrupted digestion and prolonged sleep, is likely due to how the drug slows down digestion and suppresses appetite. Some users also report symptoms like dehydration, cramping and dizziness as the body adjusts. While many have hailed Mounjaro as a 'miracle' fat-loss fix, experts have warned it's not for everyone, especially if taken without medical supervision. Tana's honest confession struck a chord with fans, with many praising her for calling out the risks and opening up about the darker side of so-called 'quick fixes.' Advertisement One fan commented online: "this is so scary". Another added: "Wow, I had no idea the effects were that bad". The star doesn't deny the fat jab's results. As she bluntly put it: 'Anything that's a quick fix, obviously, it works well. But I should not have done that". Advertisement She's not the only user reporting odd side effects. Kelly, from the UK, took to social media to share how her journey on the weight loss jab was going. Kelly is currently on 10mg of Mounjaro a week, but she said it wasn't working as it was supposed to. She said the drug had totally changed her taste buds making it difficult for her to eat. Advertisement Others have warned of severe hair loss. Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. 5 The star opened up about the dark side of 'quick fixes' Credit: GC Images 5 Tana has over 5million followers on her instagram
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
At 53 I've turned back time on my neck, jaw & eyes to avoid surgery – these are non-negotiables & one's on sale in Boots
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. SKIN WIN At 53 I've turned back time on my neck, jaw & eyes to avoid surgery – these are non-negotiables & one's on sale in Boots A GLAM 53-year-old has revealed her miracle skincare routine and tools she swears by to keep surgery at bay. TikToker Nadia Bekar, known as @NadiaBekar, wowed fans with her youthful looks as she explained how she's held off going under the knife by sticking to a few 'non-negotiables'. 2 A 53-year-old shared how she avoided going under the knife Credit: Tiktok/ @nadiabekar 2 Nadia Bekar was able to turn back time on her neck, jaw & eyes Credit: Tiktok/ @nadiabekar Sharing her age-defying secrets with over 90,000 of her followers, Nadia said: 'I'm not against surgery, but I want to hold it off as long as possible and I feel like I've done quite a good job.' The beauty fan says her jawline is still 'very streamlined', her upper eyelids are 'not too bad' and she's 'turned back time' on her neck, all without cosmetic procedures. And her biggest rule is to invest in good skincare. 'You've got to throw some money at skincare, especially your active ingredients,' she said. 'Don't be scared of that. Your non-negotiables are: a good vitamin C serum, vitamin A and a strong SPF.' One of her top picks is the La Roche-Posay Vitamin C12 Anti-Wrinkle and Radiance Serum, which she calls 'a great high street option' . Right now, it's £31.50 at Boots, down from £45, saving shoppers £13.50. Nadia also raves about Medik8, saying she 'makes no secret' of loving the brand. She uses their vitamin C serums, SPF, and even their physical sunscreens for daily protection. But skincare alone isn't enough, Nadia insists on incorporating powerful treatments too. I hated my wrinkled skin, so I spent £4k to have the top layer taken off, people can't believe I'm the same person 'Microneedling is a non-negotiable. Whether you do it at home or in a clinic, it's clinically proven to give results,' she told viewers. And she's not wrong. Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, involves tiny sterile needles penetrating the skin to trigger controlled healing. This stimulates regeneration, renews structural collagen fibres, and strengthens elastin, helping to tighten, smooth and revive the skin over time. One cutting-edge option now used in clinics across the UK is the XCellarisPro Twist, a precision microneedling device with an adjustable needle depth of 0.25mm to 2.5mm. Designed to treat everything from acne scars and fine lines to pigmentation and enlarged pores, it offers a minimally invasive way to restore smoother, younger-looking skin across the face and body. Treatments last between 30 to 60 minutes, with results building gradually over a course of sessions. Most people experience a bit of redness or flaking for a few days afterwards, but full recovery is typically seen within a week. Prices for microneedling start from £150 per session, depending on the clinic. While results vary, Nadia showed off her own transformation with visible improvements to her neck that she says left her more confident than ever. 'These things work, just remember, everyone's results will vary depending on their skin type and condition.' Another game-changer in her routine is a radio frequency device that combines microcurrent and infusion technology. She says the results on her neck in just four weeks were incredible. Showing off her before-and-after photos, Nadia added: 'I can actually say I'm confident with my neck for the first time in my life.' Experts agree that visible signs of ageing, like sagging, fine lines and dullness, tend to show up in your 30s and 40s, which is when anti-ageing measures should start. Regular SPF use, retinol (vitamin A), and skin-brightening vitamin C can make a huge difference when used consistently. And with powerful serums like La Roche-Posay's now on sale, it's the perfect time to stock up.
