What was intended to be a funny trend on TikTok has taken a serious turn. The new “Sleepytime Swirl” challenge, where teens mix cold meds like Benadryl and cough syrup to try to “nap hard,” has landed teens in the hospital with serious side effects like seizures and slowed heart rates.

Health experts say combining these drugs can lead to overdose or long-term damage. They are urging teens to skip risky challenges and to understand that misusing cold medicine isn’t harmless—it’s a form of drug abuse with potentially life-altering consequences.

Kissing bugs might sound harmless, but these nighttime biters are showing up in more parts of the U.S.—and they can carry a parasite that causes Chagas disease, which can damage your heart over time. They usually bite people while they sleep, especially around the face.

To stay safe, experts say to seal up cracks in your home, use window screens, and keep pets indoors at night. Spot a bug with a long snout and orange stripes on the side? Snap a photo and report it—catching it early can make a big difference.

More high schoolers are ditching soda and fast food in favor of “clean” eating, red light therapy, and fluoride-free toothpaste—and they’re documenting it all online. Self-described “crunchy” teen influencers are gaining tens of thousands of followers by promoting wellness routines and health advice aimed at their peers.

But health experts are worried. While some teens say these habits help them feel better, doctors and dietitians warn that unverified advice and obsession with “clean living” can trigger anxiety, shame, and even eating disorders. Bottom line: If you’re into health trends, stay curious—but don’t let sensational posts replace real science.

A new study from Lurie Children’s Hospital found that bullying during the teen years has a stronger link to anxiety and depression than when it happens in childhood. But it also showed that teens who feel supported and connected at school are more likely to recover emotionally.

That means your relationships—with friends, classmates, and trusted adults—really matter. Even if you’ve been through bullying, you have the power to heal and grow, especially when you surround yourself with people who truly see and support you.

The overwhelming popularity of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Saxenda for weight loss has always been undercut by the fact that, with a single exception (Rybelsus, a diabetes drug taken orally), they’re only available in injectable form.

Now, drug manufacturer Eli Lily and Company has announced promising findings with its experimental GLP-1 pill orforglipron. In an 18-month clinical trial, around 60 percent of participants lost at least 10 percent of their body weight when taking orforglipron on a daily basis, and an average weight reduction of more than 12 percent of body weight occurred in people with obesity. The pill is intended to be an alternative to the company’s popular Zepbound weekly injectable.

Get ready to stretch, sprint, and sweat—because the President’s Physical Fitness Test is officially making a comeback in schools across the United States. The updated version will test flexibility, endurance, strength, and agility, much like the old-school sit-ups and shuttle runs your parents survived.

This move aims to boost teen health and get students more active in a fun, team-spirited way. Love it or dread it, the Fitness Test is here to challenge your limits and maybe even earn you a badge of honor.

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an estimated 1 in 3 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 had prediabetes in 2023. This is approximately 8.4 million, or 32.7 percent, of American adolescents, and a significant rise from 1 in 5 teens reported in 2020.

Prediabetes is when your blood sugar (glucose) levels are elevated beyond 70 to 99 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), but aren’t high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, when levels are typically 200 mg/dL or higher. Prediabetes increases your risk not just for diabetes but other health conditions as well, including heart disease and stroke, so it’s essential to take steps to get prediabetes under control. Increasing your physical activity and losing a small amount of weight are both good ways to get started.

Teens are increasingly using customizable social companion apps like Replika, CHAI, and Character.AI to duplicate the experience of having a close platonic friend or even a romantic partner. According to recent research by Common Sense Media, 72 percent of survey participants between the ages of 13 and 17 have used an AI companion at least once, and more than 50 percent use them a few times a month. These apps have become so popular that investment firm ARK Invest projects that the AI social companion market may reach as much as $150 billion in revenue by the end of the decade.

But while AI social companions can serve a similar function as mental-health chatbots, providing support and encouraging reflection, their emphasis on unwavering validation runs the risk of doing so at the expense of a nuanced understanding of human relationships. As Dr. Jodi Halpern, a psychiatrist and professor at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, notes, “We don’t want a perfectly smooth, frictionless thing as a relationship.” Despite some AI social companion apps being marketed to people as young as 13, the researchers at Common Sense Media recommend that teens avoid the apps until after they turn 18.

Summer jobs are harder to land this year, with fewer openings at places like restaurants, stores, and amusement parks. But teens across the country aren’t giving up. Many have been applying early and often, determined to earn money and gain real-world experience.

Even with challenges like competition from adults and more selective hiring, teens are getting creative—handing out résumés in person, picking up babysitting gigs, or joining programs like the Boys & Girls Clubs to boost their job skills. The job market may be cooling, but teen motivation is heating up.