I try to keep a few minutes to myself before I jump out of bed. I’ll drink a glass of water and take my thyroxine. I only discovered I had Hashimoto thyroiditis in 2012 when my management sent me for a full health check. It was lucky I discovered it before I became pregnant with Aoife because it was then managed very well. It’s kind of a blessing in disguise because I have to be mindful about what I eat or drink. If I’m not doing a group class in the gym, I’ll go for a walk or jog. When I was in my 20s, I never thought about my health but now I’m so conscious of it. I’ve always been an active person but it’s so important to me now that I’m in my 40s. I don’t run as much as I used to because I find it very difficult to go for a run and not to constantly try to beat my previous record. My son Tadgh, 10, is involved in rugby, hurling, and soccer. My daughter Aoife, 12, is a keen horse rider. We came back to Ireland from the UK, where I’d lived for 13 years, in 2020. It was time to come back and have the support of my parents. They are at close hand to co-parent with me. My dad is big into sport and Tadgh is like the son he never had — he is so invested in him and in the sport he plays. Aoife will spend Saturday helping in the stables. She’ll be over in a friend’s house or a friend will be in mine. There is a sleepover nearly every weekend. I could be anywhere on a Saturday. I could be performing at the Derry Jazz Festival or travelling to perform at a Pride event. If I’m on the road that day, I will have a good breakfast and make sure the guitar is tuned and the strings are in order. I’ll do vocal warm-ups and steam my throat to lubricate the vocal chords. I will prepare my outfit and jewellery. Even though the gig might not start until 7pm or 8pm, it takes up the whole day because you have to prepare and get to the venue. The soundcheck takes place at around 5pm. It’s really important to get on the stage and get the sound right because if the sound isn’t right, you’ll have an awful gig. I’ll run through some of the songs in the set with whoever I’m gigging with to make sure we are all happy with the sound. People probably assume that being in the music industry is very glamorous but some venues only have one room that everyone has to use. There have been times when I’ve had to get changed and put my make-up on in the car but I’m well toughened up to deal with anything like that at this stage. I’ll get something to eat on my own or with some members of the band. I usually trust there will be something healthy available wherever I go. After that, it’ll be time to get into the outfit, do the hair and make-up, do vocal warm-ups, and tune up the guitar. Before I was in The Saturdays, I was involved in the singer-songwriter scene, so I’m quite happy whether I’m performing in a small venue with The Swing Cats or my uncle Declan Nerney, or whether I’m at a festival like Birmingham Pride or the Mighty Hoopla. The LGBTQI+ community has always been a brilliant supporter of mine since I was in The Saturdays. They understand, appreciate, and love pop music, have always been there for me, and are there to have a good time. I just love performing and luckily I can adapt to different styles and genres. The gig will finish around 10pm or 10.30pm. On the way home, I will be buzzing, especially if it’s been a really good show. I’ll play loud music in the car or call a friend to keep me going on the drive. If I’m staying overnight, I’ll go back to the hotel and unwind. I don’t really party. Even when myself and the girls were in the band, we didn’t burn the candle at both ends — it’s a job and you’re there to entertain. I’ll listen to sleep hypnosis if I’m struggling to fall asleep but usually I’m so tired that I fall asleep no problem. There can be a lot of adrenaline flowing with what I do so I am trying to look at things to help me sleep better such as breathing techniques to calm the nervous system. Una Healy was recently in Dublin to celebrate the launch of DOOP by Lidl, a pop-up salon offering beauty fans a chance to experience Lidl’s luxury-inspired products in aid of Family Carers Ireland. The products have just launched at Lidl and include the Marbella Glow tanning range, the Face Facts facial range, and the Head Shock haircare range, with prices starting at €1.99. See lidl.ie