Teenagers spend a lot of time reflecting deeply about themselves and searching for a sense of identity. Until they feel happy with this, they can really struggle with self-esteem and often feel anxious about their behaviour – even just how they sit and move. To the anxious student, not confident in themselves, being on a webcam in front of their peers highlights everything they worry about regarding themselves to every peer in their class.
Dr Hayley van Zwanenberg, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Priory Wellbeing Centre in Oxford. Picture: Priory When physically in the classroom, they may sit feeling awkward or self-conscious and wondering if another person is watching them.
Less screen time and more green time have been linked with better psychological and intellectual outcomes among children and adolescents, according to a new Australian study.
Conducted by researchers at the University of Adelaide, the systematic review of almost 200 studies found that screen time can have a negative impact not only on children’s emotional wellbeing, but also on their academic achievement. It also found that green time (time spent in nature outdoors) could potentially ‘cure’ or act as a buffer against this negative impact of screen time.
With a large proportion of schooling in the UAE happening online at the moment, and many children spending more time on screens than ever before, it’s never been more important to understand the impact on our kids and what can be done about.
pandemic has proved that
optimum mental and physical health
isn’t a choice, but a goal we must work towards and maintain. So it’s no wonder that despite gyms being closed for a portion of the year, many in the UAE have shown a renewed focus on their health. A
Fitbit survey of more than 1,000 people in the Emirates in August found that 66 per cent felt
they’d during the pandemic, including sleeping longer, eating better and being more active.
Here’s a look at some of the other wellness trends we can expect to see more of as the year progresses.
This meant more time spent with partners, families and children.
While the increased contact time led to some marital bonds emerging stronger, for others it magnified existing tensions and fault lines.
Marriage counsellors and therapists said they had been working overtime since the pandemic began, as more people sought professional help to get through tough times.
“While some have become closer, others struggled and developed deeper feelings of loneliness and isolation,” said Tanya Dharamshi, clinical director at the Priory Wellbeing Centre in Dubai.
We laugh about it now but I would seriously question any couple that says it’s been easy