When 15-year-old Josh Turnyak thought that he was getting a decent night’s sleep but kept waking up groggy, he decided to figure out why. He learned that you should aim to get five to six REM sleep cycles during the night. A REM sleep cycle consists of about 90 minutes of deep sleep. He also learned that it takes between 10 and 20 minutes for the average person to fall asleep. While every age group needs a different amount of hours of sleep at night, teens typically should get about 8–10 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.

Turnyak took this information and turned it into the Bed Time Calculator found at sleepsources.com. Simply input what time you need to get up and it will tell you up to three different bedtimes to try to fall asleep at and get your REM sleep cycles in. Ternyak says, “I built this calculator to help people wake up feeling energized. I hope the tool I built helps you wake up feeling more refreshed.” Research has shown that a good night’s sleep contributes to less stress, better grades, and overall health benefits for teens.

New research shows improving the lifestyle of women with obesity during pregnancy could mean long-term cardiovascular benefits for their children.

Almost seven in 10 Americans would be interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, according to a new study. But researchers say there are concerning gaps in interest, particularly among Black Americans, who suffer disproportionately from the virus.

A new study found that teen drivers and drivers 65 years and older - two age groups at a higher risk of being involved in an automobile accident - are more likely to be driving vehicles that are less safe, putting them at even higher risk of injury. The findings underscore the need for these groups to prioritize driving the safest vehicle they can afford.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse -

While teens are encouraged to turn off electronics before bedtime, a new study suggests that visiting a virtual environment may benefit their sleep health. Researchers evaluated the efficacy of a novel intervention based on virtual reality and slow breathing to promote bedtime relaxation and sleep in high school students.

Depression or anxiety in adolescence is linked with a 20% greater likelihood of having a heart attack mid-life, according to new research.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

On August 10, 2020, the U.S. state of Iowa recorded its highest wind gust (non-tornadic) in state history during a derecho. A derecho is a line of intense, fast-moving windstorms that moves across a large distance and has damaging winds. The derecho in Iowa reached a record 140 mph (225 kph) in Cedar Rapids, according to the National Weather Service. The straight-line winds were considered equivalent to the winds from an EF3 tornado. The derecho destroyed buildings, crops, and caused injuries and deaths. The storm knocked out power to over 400,000 Iowans, and 75,000 were still without power one week later.

Some natural disasters like the derecho in Iowa can strike without warning. It is important to make a plan now, so you will know what to do, how to find the members of your family, and how to communicate during an emergency. An emergency supply kit will also help prepare you for a natural disaster.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and researchers were already battling a different health crisis—teen vaping. Just last year, over five million middle school and high school students reported using e-cigarettes. Doctors saw many lung-related issues amongst vaping patients. When COVID-19 started spreading, they were concerned about the consequences for teens that were addicted to vaping.

In August 2020, researchers released a study at Stanford University School of Medicine confirming that vaping is not just a small risk for COVID-19. Their study found that among teens and young adults who were tested, those who had used e-cigarettes were five to seven times more likely to be infected than non-users. While researchers expected to find some elevated risk to vaping, the statistics showed a much higher risk than they had anticipated. While more research is needed to understand the relationship between vaping and COVID-19, the risk is clear. According to the study, researchers believe vaping is no longer a personal risk, but also a public health risk.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health -

New findings refute popular wisdom and may provide relief to parents and educators concerned with adolescents' heavy use of social media -- particularly during the COVID-19 crisis.

In adolescents the use of e-cigarettes doubles the risk of starting to smoke traditional cigarettes, states a position paper.

Teenagers who tend to pay more attention to sad faces are more likely to develop depression, but specifically within the context of stress, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) measurement provides insight into cardiovascular and overall health, including cognitive and academic functions, among children and teens. Healthy CRF is linked to better heart and blood vessel health, academic achievement, mental health and many other positive outcomes in youth. Most pediatric health care offices do not have the facilities to conduct CRF testing routinely in children.

Researchers analyzed National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to test the effect of the 2009 U.S. flavored cigarette ban. The study found the ban reduced underage smoking by 43% and smoking among young adults by 27%. Researchers call for more comprehensive bans of flavored tobacco products to reduce youth use of these dangerous products.

Study finds that teenagers utilize Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) at a rate five times higher than the United States as a whole.

California teen Sasha Ronaghi thought that maybe 15 people would respond to her idea of starting an Anti-Racism Education Project (ARE) on Instagram. In less than five days, she had 350 participants. Now Ronaghi has more than 470 participants and 115 organizers from 38 states and 16 countries. Ronaghi describes the ARE Project as a community “to connect teenagers — young people in high schools and colleges — with resources about raising awareness for the black community.”

The group is planning to create a content list every month that consists of a movie, podcast, article, and other mediums. The group will meet to discuss the content and amplify black voices throughout the month with a speaker series, too. Ronaghi attributes the immediate success of the club to three things — the rhetoric of education surrounding conversations on racism, COVID-19 forcing many teens to stay home, and the desire for dialogue. She hopes that participants will use their new knowledge to be advocates in spreading awareness in their communities and to step up in conversations.

Teenagers who prefer to stay up late and wake later in the morning are more likely to suffer with asthma and allergies compared to those who sleep and wake earlier, according to a new study.

As many as 7% of moms-to-be use marijuana while pregnant, and that number is rising fast as more use it to quell morning sickness. But new research suggests such use could have a lasting impact on the fetal brain, influencing children's sleep for as much as a decade.