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- Better sleep could help teens do better in school and with friends
A new study finds sleep quality may play a bigger role than screen time, exercise or diet when mental health symptoms affect adolescents daily lives By Kristen Dalli of ConsumerAffairs August 13, 2026 Sleep stood out: Sleep quality was the strongest lifestyle factor connecting mental health symptoms with academic and social difficulties.Screen time mattered, too: Reducing screen time was the second-strongest factor for academic functioning, though its effects were smaller than sleep.Its not a cure-all: Researchers say better sleep may help, but it shouldnt replace professional mental health care when a child is struggling.When a child or young teen is dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms, parents may focus on how those issues affect mood. But those challenges can also show up in everyday life, including school performance and relationships with friends.A new study from researchers at UC Davis suggests that sleep quality may be an especially important piece of that puzzle. Researchers looked at four lifestyle factors sleep, screen time, physical activity, and diet and found that sleep was the strongest factor connecting mental health symptoms with academic and social functioning in early adolescence.The findings don't mean that getting better sleep will solve mental health problems. Instead, they point to sleep as one potentially manageable factor that could help support young people who are already experiencing difficulties."This finding surprised us," researcher Jason Smucny, said in a news release. "We expected sleep to be important, but we didn't expect it to stand out so clearly above other lifestyle factors, particularly screen time.How the researchers studied itThe researchers analyzed data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, following children across three waves when they were approximately 10 to 13 years old. The academic analysis included 6,754 participants, while the analysis of social problems included 7,550.They examined whether four lifestyle factors sleep quality, weekend screen time, physical activity, and adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet helped explain relationships between mental health symptoms and later outcomes.The researchers looked at symptoms including depression, anxiety, and distressing psychotic-like experiences. They then examined two outcomes measured later: school grades and social problems.They also considered factors such as age, sex, and study site, along with environmental circumstances including financial adversity, family conflict, and the school environment.What the results mean for familiesSleep consistently emerged as the standout factor.For academic functioning, sleep quality accounted for 36.3% of the association between anxiety and later academic performance, 18.5% of… [TheTopNews] Read More.9 hours ago - 1 in 3 patients skip doctor visits because of anxiety. Here’s what can helpA new survey finds anxiety is a major reason people put off care and experts say there are simple ways to make healthcare visits feel less overwhelming By Kristen Dalli of ConsumerAffairs August 13, 2026 One in three patients say theyve skipped, canceled, or rescheduled a healthcare appointment because they felt anxious or nervous about going.Missing care can have consequences, including running out of medication, worsening symptoms, or eventually needing urgent or emergency care.Making appointments easier to manage including offering text reminders, online scheduling and easy rescheduling could help reduce anxiety and keep patients connected to care.Going to the doctor sounds simple enough, but for some people, making it through the front door can be the hardest part. Anxiety about an appointment, fear of bad news, discomfort with medical settings, or even the stress of making a phone call can all lead patients to put off care.A new survey from Tebra found that 71% of Americans have missed, canceled, or rescheduled a healthcare appointment in the past year. Even more striking, 33% said they did so specifically because they felt anxious or nervous about going.That hesitation can have real consequences. Among patients who skipped care, 59% said they experienced a negative outcome, including running out of medication, having a health condition worsen, or eventually needing emergency care.So why does healthcare anxiety have such a strong hold on patients and what can people do when nervousness keeps them from getting the care they need? ConsumerAffairs spoke with Kristin Trick, MA, LCMHC-QS, LPC-S, RPT-S, to better understand why healthcare visits can feel so overwhelming and how patients can make them a little easier to manage.Why are patients skipping appointments?The survey identified which types of appointments patients are most likely to cancel:Dentist appointments (49%)Specialists (29%)Gynecology/urology (28%)Blood tests/medical imaging (28%From this information, it would appear that the occurrence of anxiety may stem from fears of pain, uncertainties about results, or the sensitivity of particular forms of treatment, Dr. Trick said. In addition, the survey showed that 64% of respondents would not inform their provider of the actual reason for their absence.The risks of canceling appointmentsDr. Trick explained that delayed treatment is the most prominent consequence of canceling doctors appointments.Among the individuals who failed to make it for their scheduled visit, 36% had to wait for a long time, 22% had exhausted all their medicines, 15% reported deteriorating symptoms, and 8% even ended up in… [TheTopNews] Read More.9 hours ago
- Social Security’s projected 2027 COLA falls to 3.6% as inflation easesTwo more months data will determine the actual number By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs August 13, 2026 The Senior Citizens League projects a 3.6% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2027, down from its 3.8% estimate in July.A 3.6% adjustment would add about $69.75 to the average monthly benefit used in the groups analysis, raising it from $1,937.53 to $2,007.28.The estimate remains preliminary, with August and September inflation figures still to be included before the official adjustment is announced in October.Social Security recipients could receive a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment in 2027, according to a new projection from The Senior Citizens League. However, two months of inflation data remain before the final figure is determined.The nonpartisan seniors advocacy group lowered its forecast from 3.8% in July. Despite that decline, the projected adjustment would be 0.8 percentage points higher than the 2.8% increase beneficiaries received for 2026.If a 3.6% adjustment took effect using the average benefit cited by the group, monthly payments would rise by approximately $69.75, from $1,937.53 to $2,007.28. The actual increase for each recipient would depend on the persons current benefit.The forecast was updated after the release of July inflation figures, the first of three months used in calculating the annual Social Security adjustment. The official COLA is based on the average Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, during July, August, and September, compared with the corresponding average from the previous year.August and September prices are keyBecause data for August and September are not yet available, the 3.6% figure remains subject to change. The Social Security Administration is expected to announce the official 2027 adjustment in October, with higher payments beginning in January.The Senior Citizens League produces a new forecast each month using a statistical model that incorporates consumer prices, interest rates, and the national unemployment rate. Its estimates change as economic conditions and new inflation data emerge.For beneficiaries, a larger COLA can help offset rising household expenses, but it does not necessarily translate into an equivalent improvement in purchasing power. Older Americans often devote a substantial share of their income to housing, healthcare, insurance, utilities, and food. Increases in Medicare premiums can also absorb part of the additional Social Security income received by beneficiaries enrolled in the program. [TheTopNews] Read More.10 hours ago
- A City Mobilizes Against a Stubborn Health Threat: Mosquitoes
The city of Belém in northern Brazil was overwhelmed by an outbreak of dengue two years ago. An all-out municipal effort has reduced cases and may offer lessons to American cities. [TheTopNews] Read More.10 hours ago - New Yorkers Who Lost Insurance After Trump Cuts Face Hard ChoicesNew York State’s generous health plan for working-class people was hit hard by federal funding cuts. More than 400,000 people are now looking for new coverage or living without it. [TheTopNews] Read More.10 hours ago
- Shein Loses UK Lawsuit Against Temu Over Copyright Violations
Shein lost a UK lawsuit against PDD Holdings Inc.’s Temu over allegations its rival engaged in large-scale copyright violations. The Chinese-founded e-commerce giant must also compensate Temu for taking down thousands of product listings, according to a London court ruling … [TheTopNews] Read More.10 hours ago - Taylor Farms Outbreaks Show Limits of US Ability to Safeguard Mexican ProduceTwo foodborne illness outbreaks linked to Taylor Farms have exposed a weakness at the heart of North America’s food system: the United States is increasingly relying on Mexico’s produce industry, and regulators are straining to oversee it to keep consumers … [TheTopNews] Read More.10 hours ago
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