This week, First Opinion had newsy op-eds from big names: five former chairs of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice, 110 biotech CEOs and board chairs, the CEO of PhRMA.
But I wanted to highlight a piece that was not so on top of the news cycle. It’s an essay that offers some nuance to the discourse about teenagers’ mental health and screen time. Perhaps, adolescent and child psychiatrist Paul Weigle argues, the problem isn’t just that screens themselves hurt mental health — it’s also that screen time disrupts sleep. “Sleep deprivation impairs learning considerably, strongly predicting declining grades,” he writes. “It also predisposes youth to depression, anxiety, suicidality, and obesity. Multiple studies confirm that the relationship between screen time and poor mental health is related to its negative effect on sleep.”
It’s the kind of narrative-complicating idea that I love to publish.
Recommendation of the week: This week, the “Liver King” — Brian Johnson, an influencer who became famous for promoting an “ancestral” way of life — was arrested for threatening podcaster Joe Rogan. I recently watched and enjoyed Netflix’ documentary about Johnson’s rise to social media fame — and his scandalous downfall. It’s a fascinating look at the intersection of wellness and notoriety.
