Mental Health
It breaks my heart. A 9th grader used an AI app to make fake explicit images of five female classmates. His friends had his back. AI is a powerful tool — but we have to be responsible with how we use it. This can’t keep happening.
TIL about Nowruz, the Persian New Year, celebrated for over 3,000 years. Every spring equinox, families set a “haft-sin” table: seven items starting with “S,” each symbolic. Sprouts for renewal. Apples for beauty. Garlic for protection. Sumac for light over darkness. Vinegar for wisdom. Wheat pudding for abundance. Dried oleaster for love.
Designer Nicole Najafi describes it as “a tangible link to the past.” Remodelista
On day 13, you tie the sprouts in a knot, make a wish, and throw them into running water. Beautifully weird. Beautifully human.
The Court says banning conversion therapy silences free speech. But every major medical group calls it harmful and discredited. So when does “free speech” become a license to hurt kids? And on Trans Day of Visibility, of all days — that timing stings. It is a sad day for the LGBT community.
Have you heard of dark showering? Showering with the lights dimmed or off before bed. TikTok is obsessed, and the science is actually interesting.
“Showering with the lights off promotes melatonin release, preparing the brain for sleep ahead of time.” — Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, neuroscientist & sleep expert
Warm water raises your body temp, then the drop when you step out mimics what your body naturally does before sleep. I’ve tried it and find it really relaxing. Worth adding to your nighttime routine!
Photo by Victor Furtuna on Unsplash
Just read this fascinating study where older adults (65+) did brain training for 10 weeks and reversed about a decade of brain aging. They actually measured brain chemistry changes. Kind of makes me think about what I could be doing now at 50 to keep my brain sharp down the road. Read more here.
This year: more bloom than doom. Bloomscrolling means intentionally curating uplifting content instead of doomscrolling. I won’t avoid hard topics—open wounds need discussion—but I want scrolling that serves me, not just drains me. Small shifts, better mental space. Read more about it here
I knew hugs were good for stress, but I had no idea they boost immunity, lower blood pressure, help you sleep better, and reduce pain by 31%. A 2025 study says hugging 1-3 people daily is ideal. Most of us are touch-deprived. Time to get our daily dose of free medicine. Read this article here.
