Reading Room
The reading room includes articles and videos of potential interest to consumers and medical professionals. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the NC Medical Board, its members, and staff. Note: Some links may require registration or subscription.
A 1-week social media break could boost your mental health
Medical News Today
December 29, 2025
For young adults, cutting back on social media for a week resulted in a significant reduction in anxiety, depression, and insomnia in a new study published in JAMA Network Open. Participants in the study reported 16% fewer anxiety symptoms, 24.8% fewer symptoms of depression, and 14.5% less insomnia. The study involved 373 individuals ages 18 to 24, each of whom was paid $150 to participate. Of the cohort, 277 were female, 73 were male, 12 were non-binary, 9 were transgender, and 2 were listed as ‘Other’.
American food safety could be headed for a breakdown
STATNews
December 22, 2025
The infant botulism outbreak that sickened dozens of babies who drank ByHeart formula is a reminder of how vulnerable we all are to the companies that sell us food — and how important it is to have a robust food safety system that responds quickly to problems and prevents illness in the first place.
But federal cuts this year will leave more people exposed to potential foodborne illness in the future, food safety experts predict. The changes they say will degrade U.S. food safety include the reduced number of pathogens now monitored by a key surveillance program, brain drain of the foodborne illness staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration amid low morale and overwork, and cuts to the administrative staff who support FDA inspectors, which agency officials say has already led to a historic low in inspections of foreign facilities that import food to the U.S.
Read More…Sleep is more important for longevity than diet, exercise, social ties, study says
Medical News Today
December 12, 2025
If you struggle getting a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. Researchers estimate that about 16% of the world’s population lives with insomnia, while a recent survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that six out of every 10 adult Americans report they don’t get enough sleep.
