Jean Balchin • Mar 30, 2018 •
As a perpetually exhausted university student, I wake every morning to the shrill sound of my alarm clock, and curse myself for embarking on a course of tertiary education. Only yesterday I woke up at 7am to cram for an exam the same morning. It was a nightmare. I drank two coffees, gobbled down a chocolate bar, and executed a … Read More
Karyn O'Keeffe • Nov 26, 2014 •
Anyone with teenagers will know that they prefer to go to bed later and get up later than most adults. This pattern occurs as a result of biological changes to the timing of their circadian body clock, which shifts later relative to the day/night cycle. These changes can make it difficult for teenagers to fall asleep at a time that … Read More
Karyn O'Keeffe • Dec 09, 2013 •
Last week saw media reports stating that, alarmingly, almost 40% of New Zealand teenagers have a sleep disorder. This stemmed from a Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners press release, and a paper published in the Journal of Primary Health Care. At face value, these findings are very concerning indeed. The study surveyed 1388 Auckland high school students, from … Read More
Darcy Cowan • Jun 04, 2010 •
I’ve written previously about the effects of alcohol on decision making. Today I’ll be looking at two further aspects of alcohol consumption and how it affects society. First up is a study that examines the cognitive effects of moderate to heavy drinking during adolescence, with different effects on males versus females. Secondly I’d like to [...] … Read More
Darcy Cowan • Nov 13, 2009 •
It is an accepted fact of life that alcohol and good decision making have only loose a acquaintance with one another. Like ships passing in the night, they may meet or they may not. This is true for the momentarily intoxicated but does that propensity for poor choices follow us even after the libations cease? [...] … Read More