Social media has become such a menace for kids that the city health commissioner is recommending parents don’t give their children cell phones till at least age 14. Pediatrians also should make talking to parents and children about social media part of check-ups, says Big Apple Health Commish Ashwin Vasan. “Adolescents using social media have … Read more
The cleaning gloves are coming off. In an age of tidiness influencers, where mucking out your closet has become a legitimate social media trend, with millions of “Cleantok” videos racking up billions of views, experts warn that things are getting emotionally messy. “The constant need to keep up with these decluttering and organizational trends is … Read more
Heart racing, head pounding and dread building? “Hangxiety,” or the “beer blues,” is the one-two punch of anxiety and the physical consequences of alcohol, an awful unease that creeps in alongside the sobering light of day. Neuropsychopharmacologist David Nutt, who specializes in alcohol’s effects on the brain at Imperial College London, recently told National Geographic, “Almost … Read more
Hold the phone! New research out of China suggests a link between cellphone use and an increased risk of heart disease, especially among smokers and diabetics. The study authors partly blame this association on poor sleep, psychological stress and neuroticism. “A poor sleep pattern and poor mental health may adversely affect the development of cardiovascular … Read more
Two new studies find that the popular weight loss and diabetes drug semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, does not increase the risk of depression and suicide. But while two medical doctors who examined the research call the results “reassuring,” they say that neither study “fully answers the question of whether these … Read more
Try to beat this workout. “Cardio drumming” is all the rage — you place an exercise ball in a bucket and whack it with drumsticks to the beat of a song to burn calories, relieve stress, strengthen bones and foster community. It’s a hit on TikTok, where one recent clip of a group of women … Read more
Millennials need to treat themselves — to therapy, one boomer-aged physician says. “There’s a lot of things you’re going through now,” Dr. Terry Simpson, a board-certified general surgeon based in California, told his millennial TikTok followers last week. “You’re making career choices. You’re thinking about maybe starting a family,” Simpson continued. “Maybe you have a family … Read more
Parents are stressed out just like kids because they are often absorbed and distracted by their constantly pinging mobile phones, a University of Michigan Medicine study has found. Busy working parents find there are many conveniences to their mobile devices — but that the daily digital notifications from their screens also cause anxiety, according to … Read more
Don’t let these anti-anxiety tips slip your mind. Dr. Daniel Amen, a double board-certified psychiatrist and brain-imaging researcher in California, has shared four solutions for managing the mind and alleviating anxiety. Addressing his 2.8 million TikTok followers last week, Amen reveals some shocking statistics about anxiousness, “It’s just rampant — doubled in children, tripled in adults.” Stress and anxiety … Read more
Summer is nearly over — them’s the breaks. To ease you into the new school year, a pediatric neuropsychologist is sharing the three things that should be top of mind for parents. Jennifer Katzenstein — director of psychology, neuropsychology and social work at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL — wants caregivers … Read more
You better stick with that click. Watching a short snippet of an online video before moving on to another video and another and another — a move called “digital switching” — actually increases boredom instead of alleviating it, according to study findings published Monday. People often to watch videos to alleviate boredom, but “digital switching” … Read more
Put your mind at ease with these no-brainer tips. Emily McDonald, an Arizona-based neuroscientist and mindset coach, is sharing how she protects her brain by avoiding three things — gossip, negative self-talk and doomscrolling. 1. Gossip and drama Being involved in gossip and drama reduces our ability to focus and think logically, neuroscientist Emily McDonald said. .shock … Read more
They’ve become iPad pros. Preschoolers who use a tablet to entertain themselves may not learn to manage their emotions, leading to angry outbursts, which prompt their parents to give them a tablet to quiet them down. Researchers from the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada detailed this “deleterious” cycle Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. The study authors … Read more
Never fear — a renowned psychiatrist is sharing his three-pronged method for breaking a panic attack. Panic attacks, which are sudden episodes of intense anxiety that cause physical symptoms, are very common. Experts say one in 10 Americans will experience one this year. Dr. Daniel Amen, a double board-certified psychiatrist and brain-imaging researcher in California, advises not … Read more
A steady diet of weight loss TikToks may be quite harmful to mental health, a new study finds. Spending a lot of time on the social media platform — especially watching pro-anorexia content — could damage a young woman’s self esteem and increase her risk of disordered eating, according to research out of Charles Sturt … Read more
The tragic suicides of Robin Williams in 2014 and of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain in 2018 led to a surge in suicidal thoughts and behaviors among the public, a troubling new report from Columbia University finds. Columbia researchers developed a computer model that estimated the amount of suicidal ideation and the number of suicides that … Read more
These simple suggestions may give you peace of mind. 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number is projected to grow to 14 million by 2060. In honor of World Brain Day on Monday, Georgia-based neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch shared her 10 recommendations for lowering your risk of … Read more
Maybe all that weightlifting hasn’t been in vein. Obesity has long been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease because it can cause inflammation that harms the brain, among other reasons. Now, researchers say that focusing on belly and arm fat can lower your risk of developing these debilitating diseases. “Targeted interventions to reduce [belly] … Read more
More than 55 million people around the world are living with dementia, an umbrella term used to describe several progressive disorders that affect memory and cognition. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for half to 75% of cases. Race, ethnicity and family history are considered to be significant dementia risk factors … Read more
Between the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and the uncertainty continuing to swirl around President Joe Biden’s re-election bid, it’s been quite a week in politics. The presidential election has been stressing out Americans for months — 40% of adults reported feeling depressed or anxious about the polls in a May survey. Psychologist … Read more