Category: Health

  • Can robot therapists really help you sort out your problems?

    Can robot therapists really help you sort out your problems?

    Young people are turning to AI-based chatbots for immediate and inconspicuous support for mental health challenges. But its use for therapy is fraught with ethical and regulatory conundrums.

    Dr. Fan Yang, assistant professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign said that AI can be very efficient. “It’s available anytime,” Yang said. “It can let people talk with the machine without thinking about stigma.”

    In one ongoing project, the Addictions and Concurrent Disorders Research Group at the University of British Columbia surveyed 423 university-aged recent ChatGPT users. Rishika Daswani, clinical research assistant for the study, said that they found that just over half had used the app for mental health support.

    “When comparing it to traditional support, a lot of our respondents said that it was actually similar, and a small but significant portion of people noted its superiority,” Daswani said.

    In the wake of financial barriers and long waitlists for in-person care, AI-based mental health apps and chatbots are well-intentioned to provide interim support during this gap, said Dr. Bryanna Moore, assistant professor in the Department of Health Humanities and Bioethics at the University of Rochester.

    There’s an app for that.

    Still, a study led by Yang and colleagues in the Journal of Medical Internet Research mHealth and uHealth showed that high-quality apps still carried financial barriers to access through subscription or one-time fees.

    “In the future, we need to be careful about the word ‘availability’,” Yang said. “We can distinguish technological availability versus financial availability.”

    Daswani said the most common drawback of AI use for therapy identified by participants in the group’s study was that AI lacked emotional tone and depth. While a therapist might challenge one’s thoughts and help them reflect critically, chatbots tend to regurgitate information and act as echo chambers to reinforce pre-existing beliefs, Daswani said.

    Moore described AI therapy as sycophantic. “They are designed to draw you in to keep you clicking and engaged for as long as possible,” Moore said. “The responses they give are meant to make you feel good or seen or validated.”

    Loneliness and social isolation are among the root causes of many mental health issues for which young people use chatbots for support.

    “I don’t think it’s a leap to say that for some people connecting with a therapy bot or an online persona, [it could] promote the development of coping skills, but for others, it could really erode that,” Moore said.

    When children turn to AI therapists

    While most of the discussion around AI use for therapy has been centered around adults, Moore said specific considerations need to be taken into account for young children and adolescents.

    “Children are developmentally, morally, socially and legally distinct from adults,” Moore said. “The use of AI-based apps for mental health care by children and adolescents might impact their social and cognitive development in ways that it doesn’t for adults.”

    Childhood and adolescence are pivotal times for cementing how someone understands what it means to have friendships or relationships and learns to pick up on social and emotional cues. Chatbots often fail to fully understand a child within the context of this environment, Moore said.

    “Especially when it comes to things like mental health care, the environmental stressors on the child are central to understanding how their symptoms are presenting and identifying effective avenues of intervention,” Moore said.

    Therapeutic interventions usually involve shared decision-making with the child, caregiver and clinician to fully explore the benefits, risks and alternatives of each option. However, mental health apps can short-circuit these essential conversations, Moore said.

    Putting trust in technology

    In their survey of 27 mental health apps, Yang and colleagues identified several user design concerns for a youth target audience.

    Many apps featured dark colors and attained low readability scores, with an average sixth-grade reading level for in-app content and ninth-grade reading level for app store descriptions. While all apps were based on text, Yang said including non-text formats would make the apps more youth-friendly, especially for non-English speakers.

    Daswani cautioned that while AI may seem to have lowered the barrier for access to mental health care, it may be slow to gain acceptance in communities with low institutional trust in technology and authority.

    “Western language has specific emotional frameworks which may not fully capture other cultures’ ways of expressing distress,” Daswani said. “If AI tools don’t recognize these culturally encoded expressions, then you have a risk of misunderstanding and your needs not being met.”

    Moore and other experts worry that the reliance on AI for mental health support could perpetuate the pervasive notion that mental illness is something one deals with on their own.

    “If it’s as simple as downloading and jumping on an app once a day or once a week, there’s this idea that the barriers to having good mental health are gone,” Moore said.

    The value of human interaction

    The reliance could normalize turning to technology as the best, easiest and most appropriate avenue for support when someone is struggling. “I don’t think there’s anything inherently good or bad about the technology,” Moore said. “My big worry is, will it become a substitute for also seeking out meaningful human interactions and developing those skills and coping mechanisms?”

    If these chatbots are truly treatments, they must be subject to the same regulations that other treatments are subject to, said Moore, but for now, there is a lack of regulations and clear guidelines about who is responsible for assuming the risks involved in using AI for therapy.

    “It’s just such an unregulated space, and I think placing the responsibility on children, adolescents, parents and caregivers, and even individual clinicians to navigate this quagmire is really unfair,” Moore said.

    In the study by Yang and colleagues, many of the apps lacked detailed privacy policies, aside from the baseline information provided on the app store. How the apps handle personal data and information about traumatic experiences was not explicitly stated.

    It is also currently unclear how best to integrate these apps into clinical practice. Moore said a logical starting point is for clinicians to ask patients about their digital intake and understand how much time they are spending on these apps.

    Daswani said that integrating AI literacy into mental health education can help people understand the benefits and limitations of these apps. “We’re not saying that it’s to replace a therapist,” Daswani said. “But that doesn’t mean that we want to discredit it completely.”

    What’s needed now, Yang said, is to improve the quality of the apps. “So hopefully one day we can have human-centered treatment plans for people, with AI being some supplemental treatment support,” Yang said.

    Questions to consider:

    1. What is an advantage of a therapy app?

    2. What are some concerns health professionals have about children relying on AI therapy?

    3. Why might you feel more comfortable talking to a digital tool than a human?

    Source link

  • Decoder Replay: Why welcome a poke in the arm?

    Decoder Replay: Why welcome a poke in the arm?

    Anti-vaxxers see a dark conspiracy around vaccines. But the reality is that for millions of people globally, vaccines are the life-saving miracle of science.

    Source link

  • The forthcoming NHS workforce plan must treat universities as partners

    The forthcoming NHS workforce plan must treat universities as partners

    When the NHS launched its Long-Term Workforce Plan in 2023, it set out an ambitious vision: to nearly double the number of doctors and nurses through the first fully comprehensive national workforce strategy in its history. For universities (the institutions responsible for training these professionals) it offered rare clarity. Yet without a clear funding and implementation framework, progress quickly stalled.

    Two years on, that ambition has not only faltered but, in some respects, reversed. Both universities and NHS trusts face severe financial pressures: universities are cutting courses and staff, while trusts reduce job vacancies and apprenticeships. Meanwhile, universities remain excluded from decisions shaping the future workforce.

    Although Labour supported the Conservatives’ plan while in opposition, in office it has taken a different approach. The NHS 10-year plan, published last June, gave limited attention to workforce issues.

    With the government committed to reducing net migration, boosting homegrown staff remains a priority, though now on a smaller scale. An entirely new workforce plan is expected in the spring, envisaging fewer staff – but with better conditions and “more exciting roles”. In the meantime, a radical change in the relationship between the NHS and higher education is needed.

    Contradictions

    Alliance universities educate a third of England’s nurses, a significant share of allied health professionals, and a growing number of doctors. We’re innovating and collaborating on degree apprenticeships, opening medical schools and creating new pathways into health careers. Yet as with the previous long-term workforce plan, universities have barely been consulted – despite being central to delivering the workforce the NHS needs.” The recent call for evidence on the forthcoming plan didn’t mention universities once.

    That is why key bodies representing healthcare educators recently sent a joint letter to health ministers calling for education, training, and research to be at the heart of the 10-year workforce plan. We are asking for a cross-government taskforce to coordinate efforts on student recruitment, retention, clinical placement capacity, and planning. These systematic issues are at the heart of the NHS workforce crisis – not poor-quality education and training.

    Universities can help scale solutions, but only if government stops pulling policy levers in opposite directions. These contradictions undermine progress: the Department for Education’s decision to scrap level 7 apprenticeship funding directly conflicts with the NHS’ emphasis on advanced practice. Add to that the patchy engagement of Integrated Care Systems with educators, leaving universities uncertain about their role in local workforce planning.

    Despite these mixed signals, universities continue to devise innovative approaches. At Oxford Brookes, the School of Nursing and Midwifery operates as a joint venture with two NHS trusts, sharing leadership and strategic planning to align education with workforce needs. In North Central London, Middlesex University works with the Integrated Care Board to raise the profile of nursing in social care, providing bespoke training that has cut A&E admissions from care homes. These partnerships show what’s possible when universities are treated as equal partners, aligning education with workforce needs and improving patient outcomes.

    Joint work on the pipeline

    But innovation alone can’t compensate for a shrinking recruitment pipeline, which is still largely unaddressed by policymakers. Nursing applications have fallen post-Covid and in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis. Attrition figures often mislead: many students do not drop out but delay completion due to life pressures – financial strain, caring responsibilities, and mental health challenges. Intensive placements leave little room for paid work, compounding these pressures. University Alliance supports the RCN’s proposal for a loan forgiveness scheme in exchange for time served and an uprated learning support fund to keep students in training.

    If we want a future-ready nursing and midwifery workforce, we need to ditch the outdated obsession with counting hours and start focusing on outcomes. The NMC will soon be consulting to reduce its requirements from 4,600 to 3,600 programme hours, which is a small step in the right direction.

    The pandemic showed what’s possible when regulators embrace flexibility. Emergency standards unlocked innovation in simulation and digital training. Today, Alliance universities use augmented reality mannequins and advanced simulation suites to replicate hospital and home-care settings – boosting confidence and easing placement pressures. Scaling these solutions, however, requires capital investment and regulatory reform – neither of which is happening fast enough.

    Flexibility isn’t just about training hours – it’s about pathways too. Degree apprenticeships have been one of the NHS’s success stories, creating alternative routes into nursing and allied health professions. However, without attention, the NHS risks losing one of its most flexible entry points into the profession.

    Social Market Foundation research found that intensive inspection regimes, audits and reporting processes from multiple oversight bodies are driving up costs and leading to some universities leaving the market. Some successful programmes have been paused because employers can’t afford backfill costs. Anglia Ruskin University developed the UK’s first medical doctor degree apprenticeship to tackle shortages in rural communities at considerable cost – only for the level 7 funding decision to slam the brakes on expansion.

    Long-term ambitions

    Finally, if the NHS is to move beyond a hospital-centric model – a long-term government ambition – universities must help drive that change. The infrastructure to support the shift to community care has been hollowed out over decades.

    Alliance universities are piloting community nursing pathways, increasingly arranging placements in primary care and social care settings. But growth is significantly hampered by a shortage of community staff able to supervise students. Without investment and clear career routes, graduates will continue to gravitate toward acute settings, and the vision of neighbourhood care will remain a mirage.

    The next workforce plan is a chance to break the cycle of short-term fixes and build a sustainable system. That means joining-up health and education policy, embracing regulatory flexibility, and investing in the infrastructure that enables transformation. Above all, it means treating universities as strategic partners. Without these measures, ambitions for a homegrown, future-ready workforce will remain out of reach.

    Source link

  • Cuts to U.S. health aid jeopardizes a global success story

    Cuts to U.S. health aid jeopardizes a global success story

    Months after U.S. President Donald Trump suddenly cut U.S. international assistance for the prevention and treatment of AIDS and the HIV virus that leads to it, the ripple effects are now changing health programs — and opening new debates — around the world.

    More than US$2.5 billion has been stripped from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR, the major U.S. funding stream for global treatment, prevention and research of AIDS.

    In 2025, the U.S. National Institutes of Health terminated 191 specific grants for programs to prevent and treat HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. That’s a funding loss of more than $200 million, and more cuts seem likely in the 2026 budget.

    Among the casualties of the funding cuts: two million adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa no longer have access to a program that offered services for HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health and protection from physical sexual violence as well as education and empowerment.

    Also in jeopardy: prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV through counseling, testing, preventive therapy, early diagnosis in infants and pediatric treatment services.

    Halting HIV treatment

    All this leaves tens of thousands of doctors, nurses and support staff in Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique without needed support. Almost all U.S.-supported research programs on HIV vaccines and tuberculosis were halted.

    Some governments have responded. Ethiopia, for example, imposed new taxes to pay salaries of workers previously covered by U.S.-funded projects. Patients who were treated at community-based clinics are now being referred to government-run facilities.

    The aid cutoff has hobbled one of the world’s greatest public health triumphs: about 31.5 million people in treatment around the world, according to the World Health Organization.

    This has helped avoid the apocalyptic visions of entire generations — mainly of young and productive people — lost to this scourge. The United Nations estimates that 1.3 million people acquired HIV last year. That marks a 40% drop globally and 56% in Sub-Saharan Africa, between 2010 and 2024. 

    In all, HIV/AIDS has killed more than 44 million people since its emergence in the mid-80s, including 630,000 last year, demonstrating the need for continued HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research.

    Transformational treatment

    The U.S. pullback comes just as a game-changing prevention drug is entering the market: Lenacapavir is a long-acting drug administered twice a year.

    But instead of a rapid scale-up of a transformational treatment, the overall cuts in U.S. aid across all diseases could lead to 14 million additional deaths over five years according to a projection in the medical journal Lancet.

    UNAIDS has warned that without replacement funding, the PEPFAR cuts could result in an extra six million HIV infections and four million more AIDS-related deaths by 2029.

    The UN agency has urged countries to transform their HIV responses. Other nations have started to step in. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has collected pledges of US$11.34 billion from governments and $1.3 billion from private donors, of which $912 million is coming from the Gates Foundation.

    An argument is gaining momentum that the crisis is a blessing in disguise for nations and programs that have come to rely too much on U.S. money.

    The world working together

    Each protracted health threat — Ebola, Mpox, COVID-19 — makes the case for self-reliance and a system of enhanced regional cooperation and collaboration that leverages international agreements such as the International Health Regulations and the WHO Pandemic Treaty while respecting national sovereignty.

    Consider the G20 Health Working Group. It brings together all the countries in the G20 — a forum of the world’s largest economies — plus collaboration with the World Health Organization, World Bank and other partners to strengthen global health systems, promote universal health coverage and coordinate responses to major health challenges.

    It aims at building resilient, equitable and sustainable health systems worldwide. The G20 Global Health Group has in recent years focused on funding gaps and investments needed to meet 2030 targets: health inequities between high and low-income countries and responses to climate change and migration pressures on health systems.

    The ultimate idea is to integrate health with humanitarian, peace and development goals by, among other things, adopting a primary health care approach; strengthening human resources for health; stemming the tide of Non-Communicable Diseases; enhancing pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; and supporting science and innovation for health and economic growth to accelerate health equity, solidarity and universal access.

    Restoring, sustaining and scaling-up coverage of essential HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and protection services through countries and communities’ self reliance will be a major indicator of this commitment.

    Questions to consider:

    1. How can the elimination of U.S. health funding be a “blessing in disguise” for African nations?

    2. Why has the funding of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention around the world been considered a success story?

    3. How might access to health treatment be a problem where you live?

    Source link

  • The danger of overdoing over-the-counter medicine

    The danger of overdoing over-the-counter medicine

    In 2023, David Mitchener, 89, was admitted to a hospital in Surrey, England where he died. His death was attributed, in part, to high levels of Vitamin D, which he had been taking for nine months before his death.

    It turns out that using herbal remedies and nutritional supplements could put your health at risk.

    In a 2020 study at a Canadian naturopathic clinic, 42% of participants said they did not discuss their use of natural health products, including herbal remedies and vitamins, with their doctor. It turns out there are risks associated with not disclosing that you’re taking herbal remedies and supplements.

    Some people are aware of the risks and are careful when using these products, but some people aren’t, said Frances Atcheson, a community pharmacist based in Northern Ireland. “There is a danger with people thinking that they’re always safe to take, just because they’re natural.”

    Lezley-Anne Hanna, chair of pharmacy education at Queen’s University Belfast, said that the products could interfere with a patient getting a correct diagnosis. “If you didn’t disclose that you were on an herbal medicine, well, that could actually be causing your symptoms in the first place,” Hanna said.

    Drug interactions

    A major risk, Atcheson said, is that the natural medicines will interact negatively with with conventional medicine. Increased bleeding risk, for example, is associated with using herbal remedies such as ginkgo biloba, cranberry juice and ginger at the same time as blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin and aspirin.

    In 2014, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which regulates medicines in the United Kingdom, warned about the interaction between hormonal contraceptives and St. John’s wort, a herbal supplement that is used to alleviate mild depression and anxiety.

    Such interaction has been blamed for unplanned pregnancies. St. John’s wort can also cause serotonin syndrome when used with other antidepressants. This can show up as high blood pressure, shivering and mania.

    Ayurvedic medicine, which originated in India, uses many herbal remedies. The products can also include metals. However, in December 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the possibility of heavy metal poisoning, such as lead and mercury, when using Ayurvedic products.

    This could lead to infertility, kidney and brain damage and convulsions.Taking herbal remedies and supplements when there aren’t specific symptoms or illnesses has risks too.

    Side effects of natural remedies

    While taking Vitamin D supplements is recommended for everyone in the United Kingdom by the Department of Health and Social Care, too much Vitamin D can lead to bone pain, loss of appetite and abdominal pain in otherwise healthy patients.

    Liver injury caused by herbal remedies and supplements has been reported in Australia, the United States and Spain, in some cases so serious that it led to the need of a liver transplant.

    Seema Haribhai, a 37-year-old woman from North London, became concerned about the potential side effects of conventional medication and turned to herbal remedies to treat psoriatic arthritis — a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in joints. A coroner’s report attributed her death to liver failure that might have been aggravated by herbal remedies recommended by an Ayurvedic medicine practitioner. “All medicines can cause harm, even those that are herbal based,” the report said.

    Eva Delaney, 24, of Belfast takes the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba to improve brain function and Kalms tablets, which contain the herb valerian root, to reduce stress. She says she found out about the supplements in the pharmacy where she worked and consulted a pharmacist at her work before buying the products. “It probably should be the thing where you should always go to your pharmacist first,” she said.

    Hanna said that pharmacists should be able to discuss these products in the context of patient safety. “Pharmacists are the expert in the safe and effective use of medicine,” she said.

    Discussing herbal medicine with doctors

    What form the herbal remedies and supplements take, Delaney said, play a role in whether people tell a healthcare professional they’re taking them. “I think if it’s a tablet, you’d be more inclined to tell someone, ‘Oh, I’m taking this’,” Delaney said. “But if it was anything else, like a syrup … I think it would be harder to consider that as a medicine.”

    In a 2021 study, more than 90% of pregnant women in Ethiopia using herbal remedies throughout their pregnancies did not discuss this with their health-care professionals. The most common reason they gave was that the healthcare professional did not ask.

    Atcheson said that she wouldn’t normally ask about herbal remedies specifically. But she will ask patients: “Are you on any other prescribed medication or do you take anything over the counter? And sometimes they will volunteer information if they’re taking herbal remedies or supplements.”

    Hanna said that healthcare professionals need to ask specific questions in order to learn about patients’ use of herbal remedies and supplements. “If you want to know if somebody’s on a herbal medicine,” she said, “you need to ask.”

    It is also important for healthcare professionals to know their own limitations, and to know how to find the information they lack. “It’s about accepting that you may not know that particular product or you may not know that name,” Hanna said. “But where can you go and find out reliable information? Where could you advise the person to go?”

    Finding reliable resources

    Atcheson said that she uses the online Cochrane Library as a resource when presented with a patient question she can’t answer. The Cochrane Library provides evidence-based information on herbal remedies and supplements and their effectiveness in different medical conditions. Unfortunately, she said, there aren’t many other readily available resources. “Apart from the Cochrane Library, I’m just going onto Google Scholar looking for reviews,” she said.

    Atcheson recalls telling a patient not to take collagen supplements because the patient had chronic kidney disease. “There’s something about collagen where it can actually interfere with the kidneys when you take it orally,” she said.

    Many young people find misinformation on the internet, she said. “I’ve heard about people buying supplements and herbal remedies for weight loss,” Atcheson said. “It’s especially risky when you’re buying things on the internet. Then there’s no point of contact at all.”

    In the UK, people can look for a  Traditional Herbal Registration symbol on product packaging when deciding whether to buy a herbal remedy. This symbol means the product has met the safety and quality standards set by the MHRA.

    Hanna said that discussing over-the-counter products with a health-care professional can help patients feel empowered about their own health and provide them with unbiased information.

    “It really would be a missed opportunity to not use a healthcare professional,” she said, “and to help you whenever you’re thinking about a herbal medicine.”

    Questions to consider:

    1. Why don’t many people discuss herbal medicines with their medical doctors?

    2. What are some things you need to consider before taking vitamins or herbal remedies?

    3. If you or someone you know takes vitamins, how did you or they decide to do that?

    Source link

  • Tanzanian parents struggle with misconceptions of autism

    Tanzanian parents struggle with misconceptions of autism

    The nurse hands the newborn child to his mother, Jamila, who smiles down at him, mesmerized by the tiny being who is about to bring hope and joy to the family. Juma, the proud father, laughs with delight at getting a son, a symbol of pride.

     It feels like the beginning of a perfect future. The whole neighbourhood is celebrating.

    “Say ‘mama’.”

    “Come, walk to me.”

    “Can you count one to three?”

    But all the relatives begin to worry when, four years later, the child still can’t talk or walk and he behaves differently from the other children around him.

    The neighbours begin to whisper, quietly spreading false rumours about the family.

    “Evil spirits must have attacked them.”

    “They are being punished for their sins.”

    Unable to face the embarrassment, Juma refuses to take responsibility and eventually leaves. Jamila is then left alone to carry the weight of raising her child in silence, shame and confusion.

    This is the reality for many families in Tanzania who have a child with autism.

    Neema Massawe, the mother of a six-year old with both autism and cerebral palsy, shared her experience. “My child is a lovely six-year old, born with a condition described by doctors as cerebral palsy and autism,” Massawe said. “She has difficulties with movements and speech, and can only be helped.”

    Ignorance is the problem.

    As of 2023, less than 1% of the population of Tanzania is diagnosed with autism, but that’s more than 600,000 people. Still, public awareness of the condition remains alarmingly low, particularly in rural areas where access to diagnosis and support services is even more limited.

    For many children with autism in Tanzania, their struggle goes beyond their developmental challenges and is compounded by misunderstanding, stigma and limited support. Families often face judgment from their communities and cultural beliefs sometimes attribute the child’s condition to curses, punishment or supernatural causes.

    In an article published in 2019, Jane and Isaac Jisangu, parents of an autistic child, told how their community once believed their child was bewitched and accused them of being bad parents.

    Jane Jisangu told the interviewer: “The problem exists, but most people don’t know about it. Some will tell you to go to ‘experts’ or go see your elders. They might help you.”

    Her words reflect how, with limited awareness and scarce resources, families often turn to traditional healers or spiritual explanations rather than seeking professional medical help. The account was reported by China Global Television Network in 2019, highlighting how limited local research and reporting on autism in Tanzania often pushes families’ experiences to international platforms.

    No child deserves inhumanity. 

    Tumaini Kweka, the mother of a 14-year-old autistic boy said that because of autism, her son is often loud and restless.

    “Many people called him a ‘troublesome boy’,” she said. “One day, the maid decided to burn him with an iron machine to teach him a lesson. This really affected his siblings and I as well.”

    This is just one of many examples of how autistic children are treated daily. Sexual harassment, physical abuse and emotional mistreatment are heartbreakingly common. Many are scolded for behaviours they cannot control and are isolated simply for acting differently. Because of such treatment, countless autistic children are denied the chance to attend school, their educational journeys cut short before they even begin.

    Although the Tanzanian government has introduced policies such as the Law of the Child Act, 2009, to protect the rights of children with disabilities and ensure equal access to education and healthcare, the implementation remains weak.

    Limited resources, a shortage of trained professionals and widespread public ignorance continue to hinder meaningful progress.

    Deborah Mapunda, the grandmother of an autistic child, recalled how even visits to the hospital, which were meant for support and care, were met with cold stares and criticisms. “People gave us a lot of judgment and tend to look at us critically,” she said.

    Each stare and criticism left her feeling isolated, frustrated and painfully aware that society often rejects the family rather than understanding the child’s needs.

    “Maybe if everyone understood the situation, they would be nicer,” Mapunda added.

    Parents and caregivers carry quiet burdens.

    Just as autistic children struggle, their parents and caregivers carry a heavy emotional, social and financial burden that often goes unseen. Back in 2012, researchers at Muhimbili Hospital in Dar es Salaam found that many caregivers experience deep stress and even conflicted feelings about raising a child with a developmental condition.

    They spoke about how difficult it was to manage behaviours that are normal within autism but misunderstood by the wider community. Behaviours such as aggression, loud vocalizations, hyperactivity or restless movement often create tension with neighbours and extended family members, who quickly become irritated or uncomfortable.

    Over time, this constant friction makes some caregivers feel as if their child can not “fit in” within the community, a belief that grows into fear, shame and a persistent worry about the child’s future.

    Autism does not affect the child alone; it touches every family member. According to the Family Systems Theory, family members are deeply emotionally connected, so the challenges of one person influence the entire household.

    According to a 2017 study led by University of Kent researcher Ciara Padden, many parents of autistic children are forced to quit their jobs or reduce their working hours due to high caregiving demands, including communication challenges and severe sleep difficulties.

    This places a heavy strain on the parents, making it difficult for them to maintain financial stability and take care of the rest of the family and any other remaining children.

    What the future holds 

    Will children ever outgrow autism? The answer is no. But this does not mean that their lives cannot be full, meaningful and successful. Awareness of autism is slowly increasing in Tanzania, yet ignorance remains widespread, especially in rural areas.

    “I highly believe that educating people is the first step for improving the lives of these children,” said Shangwe Mgaya, mother of an autistic child and an advocate for autism awareness.

    Connect Autism Tanzania, an organization that collaborates with about a dozen centres in northern Tanzania, has made a significant contribution to empowering and training teachers on how to support autistic learners effectively. Four workshops are conducted annually in rural areas and simple tools have been developed for primary caregivers, teachers and the general public to raise awareness and promote education.

    Many non-governmental organizations have also turned International Autism Day, celebrated on 2 April, into a powerful moment for understanding and support. Events like the annual Run4Autism marathon help raise both visibility and funds for autism centers across the nation. Additionally, a gala dinner scheduled for 31 January 2026, aims to bring communities, experts and families together to discuss the challenges autistic children face and inspire stronger national action.

    These efforts have brought a sense of hope to parents and caregivers of autistic children. As awareness slowly increases, more families are beginning to believe that their children might one day receive proper support in schools and be valued as members of the community who can make meaningful contributions.

    For example, a mother on Facebook shared a video of her autistic son swimming and wrote how proud she was that he had mastered swimming in a short period.

    Even though autism can not ‘go away,’ the future can change dramatically depending on how society responds. For now, parents in Tanzania are holding onto the hope that the next generation of caregivers, teachers and neighbours will be more informed, compassionate and better prepared.

    Questions to consider:

    1. In what ways do children with autism struggle beyond their developmental challenges?

    2. Why do you think so many people are ignorant about autism?

    3. In what ways might people have the wrong ideas about you?

    Source link

  • Should schools provide more than an education?

    Should schools provide more than an education?

    Ashley teaches Spanish at a public high school in the U.S. state of New Jersey that has a large percentage of students from low-income backgrounds. She has gone food shopping for families and has babysat for weeks while a parent had surgery. She has attended countless graduations, birthday parties and baby showers. She has spent thousands of dollars of her own money on students.

    Because school teachers can face negative repercussions for speaking out, I agreed not to use her last name or the last names of any of the other teachers in this article.

    Ashley is one of many teachers across the United States who perform duties beyond their job description, training and pay. They see it as a result of parents who must work multiple jobs due to greater financial hardship.

    “Anything can happen in this economy,” Ashley said. “A family can be one pay check away from being unhoused.”

    In the U.S. state of Colorado, Shannen teaches at a charter school — a taxpayer-funded, public school that operates under its own “charter,” giving it a degree of independence within local school systems. In November 2025, she voted to approve two propositions to boost Colorado’s universal free school meals program and food stamps program, known as SNAP, which subsidizes nutritious food for low-income families. In 2023, about 35% of SNAP recipients were children.

    “I think it’s a good thing to have in schools,” Shannen said. “We see a lot of kids with food insecurity, but who don’t want to say that, so it’s nice that it’s just available [for everyone]. We provide breakfast, snack and lunch.”

    Should schools feed everyone?

    According to a 2025 report from UNESCO, decades of international evidence support the benefits of universal school meals, including behavioral and academic improvement for students of all income levels, and less stigma compared to income-based eligibility.

    Yet Shannen and other teachers wonder if initiatives like this are sustainable — or just blurring the lines between school and home, and parenting and teaching.

    “I wish it weren’t so dependent on schools because then what happens on the weekends and in the summers?” Shannen said. “I don’t know if it should necessarily be the school’s role, but it ends up being the school because it’s the easiest. Teachers and administrators are asked to take on far more than just educating.”

    Ashley said that school is where many of her students get their needs met, and much of that support comes from teachers. “If I don’t supply medicines, they’re not getting them,” she said.  She also buys bandages, rubbing alcohol, tissues, hand sanitizer, paper plates, napkins, utensils and wipes. “If I’m not replacing them, it’s not getting done,” she said. Ashley’s students can also wash their clothes using the school’s laundry machines.

    Students attending school without the resources they need is not unique to the United States. According to a 2024 report by the National Foundation for Educational Research in the United Kingdom, economically disadvantaged students there continue to arrive at school hungry and without necessary supplies and clothes like winter jackets. Nearly 20% of teachers in the UK are also reporting spending their own money to meet the welfare needs of their students.

    Equity versus equality

    Shannen said that it is important to understand the difference between equity and equality as a teacher. “If one of my kids said they didn’t have shoes, I would … make sure they got their shoes,” Shannen said. “For certain students [in need], I think schools should provide as much as possible to make sure they have the same opportunities. Sometimes equity is making sure certain kids are getting more so that in the long run it’s more equal.”

    Giving all this extra support can take a toll. Jill, a public high school teacher in New Jersey, takes on multiple roles but gets no additional support. That has affected her well-being and ability to do her job.

    “I have to be a social worker, psychologist, counselor, nurse, provider, all of it,” Jill said. “I came home crying the other day because a student has a severe drug problem at home, and also came out to me because he couldn’t come out to his parents. As this is happening, I have a whole class of 30 other kids who need my attention.”

    Jill said she could benefit from working with an aide in the classroom. Reporting by the National Education Association showed that today’s students have increasingly complex needs that would benefit from smaller class sizes.

    Ashley agrees that more professionals are needed at school. “We have six guidance counselors, a substance use counselor and a trauma counselor,” Ashley said. “We have a team of educational experts, social workers, psychologists and nurses. We probably have 25 different healthcare professionals. And that’s still not enough.”

    Who should pay for the essential needs of students?

    All of the teachers I interviewed also say their pay needs to reflect their workload. Salary is not keeping up with inflation and the economic challenges those in the United States are facing. Without the help of her partner’s income, Jill would not be able to afford the $3,000 monthly rent on their apartment. She has a master’s degree and her salary is $68,000 after 10 years of teaching.

    Carson is a former teacher at a private high school in Sacramento, California. He believes unions can advocate for burnt-out teachers.

    “Teachers’ unions usually help with salary, but they should help with managing expectations, like grading,” Carson said. “It wasn’t the teaching that burnt me out. It was … all the other stuff.”

    Education International is a global education union that believes the rights of teachers and students are intertwined — the right to dignity at work and the right to receive a quality education.

    Organizations in the United States that are members of Education International are the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

    “Teaching is a calling,” Carson said. “And that’s why I think teachers’ unions are important,” Carson added. “Teachers are naturally going to give and give. They need somebody looking out for them.”

    Questions to consider:

    1. Why are many schools becoming places that provide food and social services in addition to education?

    2. Why do some teachers feel compelled to pay for things like food and clothing for their students?

    3. In what ways are schools good places for the distribution of food and other public assistance to needy people?

     

     

    Source link

  • What’s not part of university requirements? Eating.

    What’s not part of university requirements? Eating.

    University systems have long been promoted as the most reliable path to upward mobility and economic security.

    Yet for a growing number of students, that promise is part of a troubling paradox: the act of seeking a degree requires a harrowing trade-off between paying for schooling and securing the eating. The result is a lack of physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food for a healthy and active life. It is a pervasive crisis of food insecurity,

    Today, nearly nine in 10 United States campuses operate food pantries or “basic need hubs,” serving thousands of students each semester.

    What began as a grassroots response to hunger is now becoming institutionalized — a subtle but significant shift in how universities define student success and well-being. According to a survey conducted by the Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, a national research center at Temple University focused on transforming higher education to improve student success and well-being, 59% of students of students at 91 institutions across 16 states experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity, while 41% of students experienced food insecurity.

    Many campus pantries have transformed into one-stop centers that connect students with food assistance programs, financial aid, child-care resources and mental-health support.

    Finding the funds for food

    The Lancer Care Center, which began as the Lancer Pantry in 2015 at the Pasedena City College, has now been integrated into a centralized, holistic support center. Today, it provides coordinated assistance and functions as a single hub for various types of basic needs, ranging from housing, food, emergency funding, peer mentoring and financial assistance.

    Yet, even as they expand, most remain under-funded and overstretched: 60% of campus food pantries lack adequate refrigeration and many rely on short-term grants and student volunteers to operate.

    A survey conducted in 2023 by Swipe Out Hunger, a national non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating student hunger, reported that food pantries face three key challenges: funding, inventory and staffing. More than one in five among the 355 college food pantries surveyed reported that securing stable funding, maintaining streams of funding and obtaining grants remain the most significant challenges.

    Beyond calories, these spaces also provide something harder to quantify: trust.

    “If you have somebody that trusts a systemic function of your campus, like a food pantry, it is likely that they will also trust other systems that are in place,” said Laura Egan of the Clery Center, an organization that focuses on campus safety and student rights. “If and when they or someone they know needs to make a report of a crime or needs to access a resource because they are a survivor of a crime, they will be more likely to look to and trust their campus, who has already established a system of providing them regular support in a non-judgmental [way].”

    When hunger is hidden

    For Egan, said accessibility matters just as much as supply.

    “What we really appreciate seeing with food pantries on college campuses is the community support that it provides, the ready access that provides a student, with no questions asked about why you might need to access that resource,” she said.

    Despite their growing presence, hunger on campus often remains hidden, masked by stigma and assumptions about who is considered food insecure. New York University Izzy Morgan is the administrative coordinator at the College Student Pantry  New York City and says that many students don’t even realize that they are food insecure.

    “I come from a family with money and, you know, I have all these privileges,” Morgan said. “I’m on a pretty big scholarship at school, and even if all of that is true, you could still be insecure.”

    The College Student Pantry, operated by New York City’s Trinity’s Services and Food for the Homeless, serves college and graduate students across the city.

    Affording healthy food

    For Morgan, that self-realization came upon discovering that the pantry provided access to fresh vegetables that would otherwise be unaffordable.

     “Part of why I got this job was because my boss, who is actually my pastor, came up to me and said, ‘Izzy, I think you’re food insecure’,” Morgan said.

    Daniela Bermudez, a volunteer and Outreach and Social Media coordinator at the pantry, said that For many students, hunger is normalized as part of the college experience. “A lot of college students have this (assumption) that they’re supposed to struggle,” Bermudez said. “It’s almost normal to not have a well-balanced meal daily.”

    Understanding food insecurity often comes gradually. “It’s kind of hard to almost wrap your head (around the meaning of food insecurity),” Bermudez said. “I’m noticing that (when) I’m not eating the right food groups and I don’t necessarily have the continuous ability to access these foods, that is a sign of food insecurity.”

    Universities often measure success through graduation rates and employment outcomes, but for a growing number of students, success must depend on something far more basic: the ability to eat regularly, without shame or uncertainty. As higher education continues to market itself as a pathway out of poverty, the persistence of campus hunger raises an urgent question: Can institutions truly promise opportunity while leaving students to choose between a meal and a degree?

    Questions to consider:

    1. Why do many university students struggle to pay for food?

    2. What are universities doing to make sure students can eat?

    3. Do you think food should be a basic right for everyone? Why?

    Source link

  • What happens when people lose access to birth control?

    What happens when people lose access to birth control?

    Abandonment of U.S. financial support for contraception around the world has disrupted the ecosystem that fostered birth control, family planning and sexual and reproductive health for decades.

    Back in February, the United Nations Population Fund announced that the United States had canceled some $377 million in funding for maternal health programs around the world, which includes contraception programs.

    Contraception reduces mortality and can improve the lives of women and families. The United Nations estimates that the number of women using a modern contraception method doubled from 1990 to 2021, which coincided with a 34% reduction in maternal mortality over the same period.

    Now, tens of millions of people could lose access to modern contraceptives in the next year, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a family planning research and lobby group. This, it reported, could result in more than 17 million unintended pregnancies and 34,000 preventable pregnancy-related deaths.

    Sexual and reproductive health and rights programs improve women’s choices and protection including violence and rape prevention and treatment.

    Who will fill the gap?

    European donor governments have pledged to increase contributions to UNFPA and other global health funds to partially fill the gap. The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark, for example, have pledged emergency funds to UNFPA Supplies, the world’s largest provider of contraceptives to low-income countries.

    The EU has also redirected part of its humanitarian budget to cover contraceptive procurement in sub-Saharan Africa. Canada announced an additional CAD $100 million over three years for sexual and reproductive health programs, explicitly citing the U.S. withdrawal.

    Despite its own aid budget pressures, the UK has committed to maintaining its £200 million annual contribution to family planning programs, with a focus on East Africa.

    The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation expanded its Family Planning 2030 commitments, pledging tens of millions in stopgap funding to keep supply chains moving. The World Bank Global Financing Facility offers bridge loans and grants to governments facing sudden gaps in reproductive health budgets and calls for governments to co-finance. However these initiatives will not immediately replace the scale of previous U.S. government investments.

    The loss of U.S. support has left many women with no access to family planning, especially in rural and conflict-affected areas. Clinics are reporting a surge in unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

    Health clinics closing

    In Zambia, Cooper Rose Zambia, a local NGO reported laying off 60% of its staff after receiving a stop-work order from USAID. Clinics have been rationing contraceptives with some methods already out of stock.

    In Kenya, clinics in Nairobi and rural counties are turning women away, with some supplies stuck in warehouses and at risk of expiring. In Tanzania, medical stores confirmed they were completely out of stock of certain contraceptive implants by July 2025.

    Mali will be denied 1.2 million oral contraceptives and 95,800 implants, nearly a quarter of its annual need. In Burkina Faso, another country under terrorist insurgency internally, many displaced women have no access to modern contraceptives.

    The consequences of the stock depletions will be particularly catastrophic in fragile and conflict settings such as refugee camps.

    Struggling to adapt to the reality has led organizations to cut programs and redirect their remaining resources. Many are trying desperately to raise new funds. But there are some voices that cheer the cuts, describing them as a wake up call.

    A wake up call for Africa?

    Rama Yade, director of the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council, a non-partisan organization that studies and facilitates U.S. international relations, argues that the aid cuts could be a wake-up call for African nations to reduce dependency and pursue economic sovereignty.

    For pan-African voices who have long criticized foreign aid as a tool of neocolonialism, the U.S. government cuts are a chance to build local capacity, strengthen intra-African trade and reduce reliance on Western donors. Trump’s dismantling of USAID offers a new beginning for Africa.

    In an essay in the publication New Humanitarian, Themrit Khan, an independent researcher in the aid sectors wrote that recipient nations have been made to believe they are unable to function without external support.

    Khan proposes several actions to mitigate the foreign funding cuts: relying more on local donors; developing trade and bilateral relations instead of depending on international cooperation programs through the United Nations and other international organizations; re-evaluating military spending and reducing debt.

    Colette Hilaire Ouedraogo, a senior midwife and sexual and reproductive health practitioner, told me that up to 60% of activities were from external funding partners. She recalled the alerts sent by the health department to increase funding from national sources as early as 2022.

    She predicts that the cuts affecting the availability and access to contraceptives and the overall quality of services will slow down progress towards universal health coverage targets and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There is a risk of reduced attendance at reproductive health and family planning centers. Consequently, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions could increase leading an higher maternal mortality.

    Questions to consider:

    1. How can contraceptives result in lower deaths for women?

    2. Why do some people argue that the cut off of funds from the United States might ultimately benefit nations in Africa?

    3. Why are contraceptives controversial?

     

     

    Source link

  • Sleep Hygiene for Teens: Proven Ways for Teens to Get Better Sleep

    Sleep Hygiene for Teens: Proven Ways for Teens to Get Better Sleep

    It’s 11:00 pm. You’re still scrolling through your phone, telling yourself, “Just five more minutes.”

    Then all of a sudden, it’s midnight, and your brain is somehow more awake than it was an hour ago.

    Sound familiar?

    Late nights make mornings miserable. When you wake up tired, focusing in class or during activities becomes impossible.

    But getting enough rest isn’t always as simple as going to bed earlier. Distractions can easily keep you up. And even if you do make it to bed on time, you might toss and turn instead of drifting off to sleep right away.

    Sleep hygiene for teens is all about building healthy habits that make it easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed.

    These practical tips will help you give your mind and body the rest they need.

    (Don’t forget to download your free quick action guide below.)

    Why do teens stay up late?

    Teens stay up too late for several reasons, and most of them stem from habits and lifestyle choices.

    After a long day of school, extracurriculars, and homework, nighttime can feel like your only chance to relax. That’s when activities like scrolling through social media, gaming, or chatting with friends can push past bedtime.

    Many of these activities also involve screen time, which makes things worse. According to the Sleep Foundation, using screens at night can delay the release of melatonin. This is the hormone that helps you fall asleep. As a result, you may find yourself staying awake much later than planned.

    Additionally, biology plays a role. During puberty, hormonal changes naturally push the body’s internal clock later, often by an hour or two. That’s why you might not feel sleepy until significantly later.

    With all these factors at play, the relationship between teens and sleep can be complicated. But understanding why this happens is the first step to better rest.

    Why do teens need more sleep?

    Why do teens need more sleep?

    Teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.

    During this stage of life, you are undergoing rapid physical and mental growth. So, sleep isn’t just “rest time” for your body; it’s when your brain and body do some of their most important work.

    Here’s why sleep is so important for teens:

    • Better focus and learning: Sleep supports brain development. It also strengthens memory and helps your brain process what you learned during the day. This means you can absorb new information and feel more confident in your learning.
    • Stronger mood regulation: Without enough sleep, it’s easy to feel cranky or anxious. A good night’s rest helps you manage stress, control emotions, and handle challenges more calmly.
    • Improved performance: Sleep can enhance your performance in sports, music, and other activities. Proper rest sharpens your reaction time, creativity, learning, and overall performance.
    • Healthy growth and development: Your body needs sleep for important functions. Sleep helps to support growth, repair muscles, and keep you energized for the next day.
    • Stronger immune system and long-term health: Sleep gives your body the time it needs to recharge and fight off illnesses. It also supports a healthy heart, balanced metabolism, and overall well-being.

    Sleep deprivation in teens is more common than you might think.

    When you consistently get less than 8 hours of sleep, the effects build up over time. You might notice yourself feeling more irritable, struggling to concentrate, or getting sick often.

    The good news? Once you start prioritizing sleep, your body can recover, and you’ll typically begin feeling better within a few days.

    Why do teenagers sleep so much on weekends?

    Why do teenagers sleep so much on weekends?

    If you find yourself sleeping until noon on Saturdays, you’re probably dealing with what’s known as “sleep debt.”

    When you don’t get enough rest during the week, your body tries to catch up on weekends.

    While recovery sleep can help you feel better temporarily, it’s not a long-term solution. The goal is to get consistent, quality sleep every night so you don’t need to crash on weekends.

    In short, getting enough sleep isn’t just about avoiding morning grogginess. It’s essential for supporting your body’s rapid growth during the teenage years and protecting your health in the long run.

    Sleep hygiene habits for teens that actually work

    Sleep hygiene means building habits and creating an environment that helps you get high-quality sleep every night.

    You don’t have to completely overhaul your life to improve your sleep hygiene. Even a few small changes to your routine can make a huge difference in how quickly you fall asleep and how rested you feel the next morning.

    Let’s explore some practical sleep hygiene tips for teens.

    Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time

    Your body works best on a routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps to keep your internal clock on track.

    Start by setting a realistic bedtime and sticking to it as consistently as you can. Try not to shift your sleep schedule by more than an hour, even if it’s tempting to stay up late on weekends.

    When you keep a steady routine, your body begins to recognize when it’s time to wind down. You’ll naturally start feeling sleepy around bedtime. This makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed the next morning.

    Create a pre-sleep routine

    A calming bedtime routine signals to your brain that it’s time to get ready to sleep.

    Pick one or two self-care activities that help you feel calm. Examples include reading a book, listening to soft music, taking a warm bath, or doing some light stretching.

    Avoid anything too stimulating before bed. Activities like doing homework, watching an intense show, or playing a fast-paced game might make you stressed or excited.

    Once you’ve found what works for you, commit to doing it for about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Over time, this routine will train your body and mind to shift into “sleep mode” easily.

    Limit screen time at least 30 minutes before bed

    Limit screen time at least 30 minutes before bed

    Phones, tablets, and laptops give off blue light, which can interfere with the production of melatonin. As a result, your brain may find it harder to wind down at night.

    To avoid this, try putting away your devices at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Use that time to do something relaxing that doesn’t involve screens, such as reading, journaling, or listening to calming music.

    If that feels challenging, start small. Try going screen-free just 10 minutes before bed and gradually increase the time every one or two weeks.

    Keep your room cool and dark

    Your sleep environment matters more than you might think.

    If your bedroom is too bright, your body may still think it’s daytime, which can lower melatonin levels and make it harder to fall asleep. Your body also needs to cool down to get good quality rest.

    Here are a few ways to create a sleep-friendly environment:

    • Use blackout curtains or a sleep mask to block out light.
    • Keep your room cool with an air conditioner or fan.
    • Use earplugs or a white noise machine.
    • Turn off your devices or mute notifications before bed.

    Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening

    Energy drinks, coffee, and some sodas contain caffeine. Caffeine stays in your system for hours, keeping you awake long after the time you intend to go to bed.

    Try switching to caffeine-free drinks in the late afternoon and evening. Avoid caffeine for at least 6 to 8 hours before going to bed.

    In general, teens should also limit their daily caffeine intake to under 100 mg, which is approximately equivalent to one cup of coffee.

    Don’t nap too late in the day

    Naps can boost energy and focus, but long or late naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night.

    If you really need to nap, keep it short. Set an alarm to wake you up after 20 to 30 minutes. Make it a point to nap earlier in the afternoon rather than close to bedtime. That way, you’ll still feel refreshed during the day without disrupting your nighttime sleep.

    Tips to promote better sleep quality

    In addition to improving your sleep hygiene, other lifestyle habits can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep.

    Use your bed only for sleep

    Reserve your bed strictly for sleeping. Avoid using it for other activities, such as studying, scrolling through your phone, or watching shows.

    When your brain associates your bed only with sleep, it becomes easier to relax and drift off when you get into bed.

    If you enjoy reading, journaling, or listening to music, try doing those activities in another cozy spot, like a sofa or chair. Only move to your bed when you’re ready to sleep.

    Exercise during the day

    Exercise during the day

    Regular physical activity can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. Exercise helps reduce stress and promotes deeper, more restorative sleep.

    Teens should get about 60 minutes of exercise daily. But if that feels overwhelming, start small. Try 30 minutes of activity on most days and gradually build up from there.

    Just remember to avoid intense workouts close to bedtime, as they can leave you feeling energized rather than sleepy.

    Manage stress before bed

    Maybe you’re lying in bed replaying an awkward conversation from lunch, or you can’t stop thinking about tomorrow’s biology test. When your mind races like this, falling asleep becomes nearly impossible.

    Here are some ways to manage stress and clear your mind before bedtime:

    • Create a to-do list to organize your thoughts and reduce mental clutter.
    • Do deep breathing exercises.
    • Write in a journal to release your worries or reflect on your day.
    • Practice gratitude by reflecting on a few positive things that happened.
    • Listen to calming music or nature sounds.

    Consider using a sleep tracker

    If you’re curious about your sleep patterns, using a sleep tracker can provide valuable insights.

    Many phone apps and smartwatches can track how long and how deeply you sleep, helping you understand your sleep patterns better. They can also show how certain habits, such as exercise, caffeine intake, or screen time, impact your sleep.

    With this information, you can make small but effective adjustments to improve your overall sleep quality.

    Conclusion

    Building better sleep habits is just the beginning. When you learn how to take charge of your routines, you don’t just sleep better. You also think more clearly, handle stress with confidence, and feel more in control of your life.

    Through my 1:1 coaching program, I’ve helped teens transform not just their sleep, but their entire approach to school, stress, and life. If you’re ready to build habits that actually stick and create lasting change, I’d love to help!

    (And if you haven’t already downloaded your free quick action guide, you can get it below.)

    Source link