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Teens on average need about nine hours of sleep at night. But most don't get the amount of sleep they need. School, friends, homework, activities, television, video games, cell phones and the computer may have a higher priority for a teen than sleep. Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences for a teen's health and well-being. What do you need to know?

TikTok. The social media platform that’s all the rage with tweens, high schoolers and college kids. It can be fun and make you laugh. But it can also interfere with brain development and have a negative impact on mental health. 

We asked Jessica Griffin, PsyD, Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Clinical Psychologist, and Executive Director of Lifeline for Kids, to answer some questions about the impact TikTok and other social platforms are having.

With home offices now permanent fixtures, it’s important that your setup at home isn’t creating issues with your health. Good home office lighting can ease eye strain and fatigue, as well as aches and pains. 

Maybe you’re fully remote or have a hybrid work schedule. Maybe you’re working at your kitchen table or jimmy-rigged your ironing board into a stand-up desk. Whatever the scenario, sufficient lighting around your workspace is the most important part of good ergonomic lighting. 

With the legalization of marijuana in Massachusetts, the cannabis industry has been booming. CBD or cannabidiol products haven't only been used for recreation, but many believe that these oils, gummies and topicals may serve as natural remedies for the following:

• Pain
• Inflammation
• Anxiety
• Epilepsy
• Depression
• Acne

Additionally, many individuals have confidence that CBD products may help those who suffer from autism or other neurobehavioral disorders, easing hypersensitivities to things, such as light and sound. 

According to Pew Research, roughly one in five U.S. adults use a fitness tracker, those wearable devices that record your daily physical activity along with other health data, such as heart rate or calories burned. 

But the question is: Do these ubiquitous bits of technology really make us more fit and healthy? 

The answer is; it depends.