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Neuroscientist reveals perfect amount of time to spend on social media for your mental health

Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression and anxiety.

By

Heather Wake

neuroscience, social media, mental health
Anyone can use this checklist. – Photo credit: @rachelle_summers/TikTok

There are pretty clear cut guidelines on how much screen time kids should have, but for adults…not so much. And perhaps it’s this lack of clarity that leaves people to go on full blown digital detoxes or get off social media entirely.

And while there is certainly a case to be made for that decision, for many of us, that isn’t quite feasible—especially in certain lines of work.Luckily, according to neuroscientist Rachelle Summers, there is a way we can still be on social media, without being subjected to its negative side effects.

In a video posted to her TikTok and Instagram, Summers first cited a study which found that limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day lead to a “significant improvement in well-being” among participants.

Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression, anxiety and FOMO—common symptoms of social media overuse.

Of course, 30 minutes might seem like an extremely short amount of time to be on social media (never mind if you’re actually posting something). In fact, according to one polling website, average person spends a little over 2 hours each day on social media, which is also drastically low in comparison to some of the comments to Summer’s video.

“Yikes. I’ve been doing 30 minutes every half an hour,” one person wrote.

Another added, “I’m on Instagram around 25 hours a week. Guess that’s a critical amount.”

Summers did however add that the study only measured the effects of limiting social media to 30 minutes, and noted that similar benefits could be found at a little more usage time.

So then, what if we want to spend more than a measly 30 minutes and still see benefits? Summers proposes going through this checklist of questions:

-Establish your baseline. How much time are you currently spending on social media?

-Are you sleeping poorly?

-How’s your attention span?Are you finding it difficult to concentrate on a task?

-How is your Mood? Are you experiencing any anxiety or depression?

-Are you noticing physical discomfort like eye strain or headaches?

-What does your engagement look like? Are you mostly looking at content that puts you in a negative headspace?

-Have you stopped or reduced how much time you’re investing in offline relationships and/or hobbies?

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4qIXPiL-fe/

If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, Summers suggests going back to your original baseline and reducing social media consumption by 20% . Then check again in two weeks and continue reducing by 20% until you’ve only got one yes. Or, better yet, zero.

I don’t know about you, but I answered yes to nearly all of these…along with tons of viewers.

“Brain fog is so frustrating and uncomfortable,” one person wrote.

“I spend a lot of time on subreddits that are laden with rage bait,” admitted another.

We all know we need to limit our social media use. But we don’t necessarily have a way of measuring how much we need to cut back. And while a weeklong vacation to a spot with zero internet service might be ideal, some real world, everyday tools can be just as helpful. And perhaps even more sustainable. And while you’re using that daily allowance of social media, be sure to follow Summers on TikTok and Instagram for more cool tips.

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  • Google productivity expert says ‘fun homework’ makes you happier. Here’s why it actually works.
    Laura Mae Miller is rewriting the book on productivity. – Photo credit: Canva, Laura Mae Miller
    ,

    Google productivity expert says ‘fun homework’ makes you happier. Here’s why it actually works.

    The simple trick Google productivity expert Laura Mae Martin swears by.

    Kat Hong

    We all know the feeling: You walk through the front door after a long day, or slam your laptop shut, and the weight of the world slides off your shoulders. Your overworked brain, desperate to relax, entices you to collapse onto the couch and scroll through your phone until it’s time to sleep.

    But is this the best way to recharge? By doing nothing? Experts say no.

    @xparmesanprincessx Spending this cozy Sunday planning my curriculum for 2026 ✍️ I’m going to break my year up in to 4 semesters with different themes and focuses for each month and have more long term learning projects like relearning Spanish! #curriculum #learning #personalgrowth #personalcurriculum #books ♬ original sound – Elizabeth Jean

    A fascinating practice on social media called the “personal curriculum” is trending. Championed by Google executive productivity advisor Laura Mae Martin, the concept is simple yet counterintuitive. The idea is to assign yourself “homework”—not to earn a degree, promotion, or extra cash, but for the pure joy of learning. TikTok user Elizabeth Jean also helped popularize the term “personal curriculum,” and posts videos with tips on how to create your own.

    Adding tasks to an overflowing to-do list might sound like a recipe for burnout, but Martin suggests that a structured, self-directed learning plan can boost energy, sharpen the mind, and restore a sense of identity.

    The unexpected science of “fun homework”

    It’s easy to compare our brains to batteries that drain during the day and require total rest to recharge. But cognitive science shows that our minds are more like muscles. To stay healthy, we need new and interesting activities that challenge us.

    When we engage in what researchers call “cognitively stimulating activities,” the physical structure of our brains changes. A 2017 report from the Global Council on Brain Health highlighted that keeping the mind active is essential for maintaining brain health as we age. Creative activities like painting, photography, or writing can reduce cortisol levels, lowering stress hormones and creating an emotional regulation loop that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for the next day.

    A systematic review in BMJ Open found a clear link between lifelong learning and a lowered risk of dementia. Researchers explained that challenging the brain with new information builds cognitive reserve, a.k.a. its ability to adapt and remain resistant to damage.

    Think of it as investing in your mental future. Each time you tackle a new language lesson or deep-dive into Renaissance art history, you’re strengthening your brain in ways that can last a lifetime.

    Redefining what it means to be productive

    The word “productivity” can carry heavy connotations. It suggests endless checklists, exhausting efficiency hacks, and squeezing every drop of output from our waking hours. Laura Mae Martin offers a refreshing alternative, defining productivity in simple terms: “Productivity is accomplishing what you intend to do, when you intend to do it.”

    This meaning allows us to reclaim our time. It shifts our mindsets from external validation to internal satisfaction.

    How to build your syllabus

    Let’s put this in practical terms. How do you bring these “nice ideas” into the real world? By creating a “personal curriculum” and treating it with the same respect you would have for a college course. Humans respond well to structure and deadlines. Here’s how to create a syllabus that sticks:

    1. Follow the spark: Genuine curiosity must drive your personal curriculum. If you hated calculus in high school, don’t pick it up again for arbitrary reasons, like trying to feel smart. Look for subjects that make you lose track of time. Identifying every tree in your neighborhood could be one, or mastering the perfect sourdough loaf.
    2. Diversify your materials: Learning exists everywhere, not solely in dense textbooks. Keep required texts engaging and fun, mixing in podcasts, workshops, flashcards, and documentaries. If you are learning a new language, listen to an album in that language. If you’re studying paleontology, visit a local natural history museum.
    3. Set the scene: Get yourself in the zone with a little learning mise en place. Find a specific chair and reserve it for reading, or flipping through flashcards. Make a study playlist and fill it with songs to play in the background. When you sit in that chair, or hit play, you are signaling to your brain that it’s time to switch into “student” mode.

    The 20–30 minute rule

    Don’t spend all your free time on this. Overload is the greatest pitfall with personal curriculums. We get excited, plan to study every night for two hours straight, then find ourselves exhausted and discouraged.

    Sustainability lies in the “Goldilocks” rule for time commitment: keep sessions between 20 and 30 minutes.

    Simple 20–30 minute blocks fit into even the busiest schedules yet, they’re long enough to achieve a flow state.. Slot one in after dinner or while drinking your morning coffee.

    Valerie Craddock, a content creator, shared her November curriculum on TikTok, embracing this method. It included gentle, actionable goals: walk 8,000 steps, practice penmanship three times a week, work out for 30 minutes. By keeping her curriculum low stakes, Craddock set herself up for a winning streak instead of a guilt trip.

    Make room for what matters

    How do you protect this newfound time? Martin suggests a simple but effective tactic: integrating your personal calendar with your work one.

    This gives you a complete view of the week. You might see Tuesday packed with meetings, so you’ll make a mental note to keep that evening free. Thursday looks much lighter, offering the perfect window to pencil in that 30-minute creative writing session.

    productivity, book, google, expert, homework
    Woman working, productively. Photo credit: Canva

    An approach like this helps you honor the natural ebb and flow of energy, and prevents you from overcommitting on days when you’re already drained. When you schedule “fun homework” with the same seriousness as an All-Hands meeting, you’re sending yourself a powerful message: personal growth is as important as obligations.

    Redefining “you”

    One of the most rewarding aspects of the personal curriculum is its ability to reshape our sense of self. In a society obsessed with asking, “What do you do for work?” discovering an answer that’s not attached to a paycheck can feel freeing.

    When you learn, you transcend the role of parent, employee, or partner—you become a historian, linguist, painter, or botanist.

    Buy the notebook, write a syllabus, and enjoy becoming a beginner again. You might discover that a little homework can unlock the key to reconnecting with yourself.

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  • Woman shares why she started filming herself sprinting in skirts. It’s honestly brilliant.
    Running in skirts and dresses changed everything for Deb Voisin. – Photo credit: Courtesy of @thearchitectureofhealth/YouTube
    ,

    Woman shares why she started filming herself sprinting in skirts. It’s honestly brilliant.

    The effect is both magical and motivating.

    Annie Reneau

    Activewear is a $400 billion industry, with no shortage of brands selling moisture-wicking tops, running shorts, yoga pants, and all manner of athletic clothing designed for exercise. In fact, we’ve become so accustomed to “workout gear” that the idea of exercising without it feels almost wrong.

    Enter Deb Voisin, who not only challenges the notion that people need to run in any particular clothing, but runs herself barefoot and in skirts or dresses, like a preschooler—one with a keen understanding of biomechanics, that is.

    running, sprinting, barefoot, child, joy
    A young girl runs on the sand. Photo credit: Canva

    Voisin says she could “barely walk” due to an injury caused by overstretching, and she hadn’t been able to find a healing method that worked. Not wanting surgery, she studied biomechanics and natural movement and made an interesting discovery about sprinting.

    “Once I realized that a sprint is an amplified walking pattern, I knew that if I could learn how to sprint beautifully, I could walk pain-free,” she shares.

    To hone her form, she filmed herself sprinting on a curved treadmill. But there was a problem: she hated looking at herself.

    “So I wore skirts and played dress up like a little girl,” she says. “It worked!”

    Watch:

    Voisin tells Upworthy it worked on multiple levels.

    “I started wearing skirts because they helped me stop hating looking at myself—and I realized they also make healthy movement visible,” she says. “Aligned movement is wavy and alive, not rigid. Running is timeless and human, and the fabric lets you actually see that flow.”

    She says she always hated running, but sprinting in skirts shifted her perspective.

    “Once I realized that sprinting is the ultimate expression of a naturally aligned body, I aimed high and shot past pain into ease and power I don’t think I ever felt growing up,” she explains. “Now I help others find their way back to that feeling.”

    Voisin also says the comments on her video, which has been viewed more than 4 million times, made her weep.

    “I had no idea how healing it would feel to be so openly accepted for something that even people close to me didn’t understand,” she says. “I just knew there was beauty and healing in it.”

    Here are some of the viewer comments that made Voisin cry:

    “Something about a running, whimsical lady in a skirt and no shoes is so magical.”

    “Every time a human loves herself, is a win for all the universe.”

    “Who noticed, the more she practices, the more she looks younger just like a little girl happy running and discovering the world that she sees as a beautiful and happy place? Beautiful lady, am glad seeing you running, run run run..”

    “You literally look like you aged in reverse in the process! Amazing how healing joy can be for our bodies.”

    “Every single shot of you running in a skirt looks like it comes from a movie I’d love to watch.”

    “People forget, we often don’t like doing things that are good for us, because we copy how everyone else is doing it. Make it fun for you, do it the way you want to do it. Find those joys in your life. It’s your first time living.”

    running, sprinting, barefoot, child, joy
    Running with joy might require a different outfit. Photo credit: Canva

    “I also just love the kick in the face to traditional ‘workout’ clothes. It’s just more consumerism, you don’t need special clothes to workout. Just use what you have!”

    “I loved the reel, the fabric movement, the timelapse, the self love, the deep desire to heal, fit body at later ages… all of it made me smile at how we all creatively approach our problems.”

    “I’ve been an avid runner in my life, but haven’t run much for a few years now. This brought tears to my eyes, your beauty and grace and commitment. I am inspired to run again, for the sheer joy of it!”

    It’s amazing what can happen when you infuse joy into physical activity. Maybe joy for you isn’t running in a skirt and watching it flow in slo-mo, but something else entirely. Whatever joy looks like, leaning into it may help you reclaim the motivation you lost somewhere along the way and empower you to keep your body moving and healthy.

    You can find more from Deb Voisin on her website.

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  • Psychologists say there are 4 types of introverts. These are the personality traits of each one.
    A woman sits in a chair reading a book. – Photo credit: Canva
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    Psychologists say there are 4 types of introverts. These are the personality traits of each one.

    The four types of introverts: Social, Thinking, Anxious, and Restrained.

    Emily Shiffer

    Introverts can have many personality stereotypes. Many people assume they are quiet homebodies who prefer alone time, but not all introverts are the same.

    Psychologist Jonathan M. Cheek, along with his colleagues Jennifer Grimes and Julie Norem at Wellesley College, presented findings in a 2011 study identifying four types of introverts: Social, Thinking, Anxious, and Restrained (STAR).

    “Many people assume introversion is fixed, but introversion is on a spectrum,” Chloë Bean, a somatic trauma therapist in Los Angeles, told Upworthy.

    Essentially, there is no one-size-fits-all type of introvert.

    “It can shift depending on life phase, your stress level, burnout, support system, and trauma history,” Bean said. “What looks like ‘being introverted’ is sometimes the nervous system doing it’s job, protecting you especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed or need to connect with yourself more.”

    Four types of introverts

    In an interview with The Cut, Cheek explained that these introvert “types” are more like “shades,” and that introverts are often a mix of each one. Here’s what you need to know about each type of introvert:

    introvert, introverts, being introverted, social introvert, introverts hanging out
    Three women sit on a blanket in the park. Photo credit: Canva

    Social introverts

    Bean noted that social introverts may be selective about who they connect with. They enjoy spending time with others but need downtime to recover.

    “They prefer to stay home with a book or a computer, or to stick to small gatherings with close friends, as opposed to attending large parties with many strangers,” Cheek explained.

    How to tell if it’s you:

    “You may tend to lose a lot of energy when socializing in large groups even when they’re fun and prefer one-on-one time,” said Bean. “You may feel more regulated with one person at a time, as you can feel overstimulated with more than one person at a time.”

    Thinking introverts

    Thinking introverts are internally rich, deep, and active but appear quiet on the outside, Bean noted. They spend a lot of time reflecting, imagining, creating, or analyzing.

    “You’re capable of getting lost in an internal fantasy world,” Cheek said. “But it’s not in a neurotic way, it’s in an imaginative and creative way.”

    How to tell if it’s you:

    “You feel energized and excited by ideas but you feel exhausted when there is constant feedback and stimulation externally,” Bean explained. “You need time to be with your thoughts to come to your conclusion so staying with your inner voice and process is supportive because you can get easily distracted by others’ thoughts and opinions.”

    @onlyjayus

    The 4 Types Of Introverts

    ♬ original sound – Bella Rose

    Anxious introverts

    Bean said that anxious introverts deal with anxiety and avoidance driven by fear, as the body anticipates rejection or not being accepted socially.

    How to tell if it’s you:

    “You might replay conversations, dread upcoming plans and cancel them when the tension and anxiety gets too strong,” Bean shared. “This is often less about your personality and more about your nervous system feeling dysregulated by thoughts about socializing.”

    Restrained introverts

    Restrained introverts are highly observant, take time to warm up to others, and are cautious about who they spend their energy with, Bean explained.

    How to tell if it’s you:

    “It might take you some time to feel like you can trust others and feel safe enough to speak up,” Bean said. “You might also avoid being put on the spot or being the center of attention.”

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  • Man who created ‘Reasons to Stay’ website after brother’s death, tearfully shares success story
    Tearful man with head in his hands being comforted. – Photo credit: Canva
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    Man who created ‘Reasons to Stay’ website after brother’s death, tearfully shares success story

    People can write a letter to a stranger and be their reason to stay another day.

    Jacalyn Wetzel

    Editor’s Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

    Mental illnesses like depression don’t discriminate. It can hit anyone, and not everyone survives their fight with the condition. Ben West, a man from the United Kingdom, has intimate familiarity with what happens when someone loses their battle with depression. He lost his younger brother, Sam, to suicide eight years ago.

    In an effort to help with his own grieving process and connect with those who may feel alone, he created a website. The video launching the site Reasons to Stay went viral due to its touching story and noble mission. It’s a website that allows people from across the world to leave letters of encouragement to people who may be contemplating suicide. The hope is that someone needing a reason to stay one more day will find their reason in one of those letters.

    suicide prevention; suicide awareness; depression; mental illness; reasons to stay
    Comfort in a hug: a shared moment of empathy and support. Photo credit: Canva

    The website is simple: it displays the latest letter on the home page, offers sign ups for letters to go directly to your email in the form of a newsletter, and shares places to seek help. If someone wants to read a different letter, all they need to do is refresh the page.

    “This letter was written by someone in the world that cares. It was delivered to you at random when you opened this page,” the Reasons to Stay website explains.

    The creation of this website was strictly an act of compassion for fellow humans, but recently, West received an email revealing that his site saved a life. The website’s founder wept while sharing the news on his Instagram page, saying, “I got a message today, and I’m not going to share the message, but what I can share is that it worked. It worked for someone. We can be fairly confident that it really worked for someone.”

    suicide prevention; suicide awareness; depression; mental illness; reasons to stay
    A comforting hug during an emotional moment. Photo credit: Canva

    He admits that the person still has a difficult journey ahead, but celebrates that they get to continue on at all. “Like I said before, social media, it can be such a bad place, but how amazing that it can be used for something like this. Like, that person, maybe it wouldn’t reach them if it didn’t go viral, so thank you so much, everyone, for sharing and getting involved in this over the last couple of weeks. What a special thing. What an amazing thing. It worked.”

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, “One person dies by suicide an average of every 11 minutes. Over 49,000 people lost their lives to suicide in 2022. Every year, millions of Americans think about, plan, or attempt suicide.”

    In August 2025, JAMA Network released an article urging people to consider human connection as a form of suicide prevention. The authors of the article share that there’s power in human connection, writing, “At a time when individuals experiencing suicidality often feel unseen, unheard, and burdensome, structured follow-up sends a clear message: you matter. You are not forgotten.”

    Reasons to Stay is putting human connection at the forefront in hopes of saving lives. People are moved by his selfless gesture, with some sharing their own stories of survival. One person shares, “From someone who tried to, this is essential. Wish I had that back then. Will definitely use your site if those thoughts ever come back to me. I’m so proud of you, and so is Sam. We’re safer now.”

    suicide prevention; suicide awareness; depression; mental illness; reasons to stay
    Woman seated against brick wall, covering ears with hands. Photo credit: Canva

    Another writes, “My dad took his own life. I wish he could’ve had a website like this to go to. I am sobbing happy tears to know that someone’s life was saved, and I’m also so incredibly sorry for your loss. I understand the ache— but you made something beautiful for your brother.”

    “You may or may not be familiar with David Kessler’s “The sixth stage of grief,” but in that book he suggests that the 6th stage is: finding meaning. You’ve created meaning by saving others. Sam’s spirit and legacy lives on through you and his life and death now means, not just something to you, but something to many others around the world. What an absolutely beautiful and healing way to honour Sam, and what a gift this is to the world. Thank you Sam. Thank you Ben. So special. So powerful,” someone else kindly shares.

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  • Scientists discovered a fascinating trick to feeling like you slept great even if you didn’t
    Tired man (left); energized man (right) – Photo credit: Canva
    , ,

    Scientists discovered a fascinating trick to feeling like you slept great even if you didn’t

    “Placebo sleep” can be extremely powerful.

    Evan Porter

    The benefits of getting a good night’s sleep are too vast to name. Sleep is as essential for our brains as food and water are for our bodies. If you’re not getting enough, sleeping better has been shown to elevate your mood, improve your memory, and even boost your physical health. And then there’s the obvious: when you don’t sleep well, you’ll have less energy and generally perform worse on tasks that require any kind of effort or thought.

    However, we’re all human, and, sometimes, humans sleep terribly. Your infant might wake you up, or a car alarm might go off outside, interrupting your regularly-scheduled REM. It’s not always our fault when we don’t sleep well, but there might be an interesting way to fix it.

    A study from 2014 may have demonstrated the existence of something called “placebo sleep,” or tricking your brain into believing you slept better than you did.

    sleep, sleep tricks, sleeping techniques, science, scientific research, placebo effect, placebo
    a man sitting at a desk with his head on his arms Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

    The placebo effect, of course, has been studied relentlessly over the years and has shown that the human body can do amazing, almost impossible things, when the brain gets on board. The classic example is when symptoms of disease get measurably better after a patient takes a “fake” pill. Another study out of Harvard showed that people who were told their jobs qualified as exercise showed improved health and fitness markers compared to people who did the same job. Placebos even work when the person knows they’re taking a placebo. It’s called an “honest placebo” and is considered a legitimate, ethical treatment method for many ailments.

    The researchers in 2014 wanted to find out if the placebo effect could also apply to sleep. So, they lectured a group of participants about the importance of REM sleep and how it can effect cognitive functioning. The participants were then split into two groups and monitored overnight while they slept. The next morning, one group was told they achieved 28.7% REM sleep, which is terrific, and the other group was told they only spent 16.2% of their sleep time in REM, which is below average. The numbers, however, were complete fiction.

    Stunningly, the participants who believed they achieved top quality sleep performed better the next day on a series of arithmetic and word association tests compared to the other groups.

    In their conclusion, the authors wrote, “These findings supported the hypothesis that mindset can influence cognitive states in both positive and negative directions, suggesting a means of controlling one’s health and cognition.”

    According to Smithsonian Magazine, follow up experiments confirmed the findings.

    The key to feeling great and performing as if you had a great night’s sleep may lie in simply believing that you did.

    There are a lot of ways to “placebo your sleep” in order to generate that belief. For starters, you can adopt a new routine or technique or even supplement in order to prime your brain.

    John Cline Ph.D. asserts for Psychology Today that the popularity of sleeping aids like melatonin may be tied less to the fact that they work, and more to the fact that people believe they work. But you don’t need to take any supplements or medications. Having a slow evening wind down with a book and an herbal tea, trying a new sleeping position, or practicing some measured breathing might work just as well. Or, rather, they might work precisely because you believe they will.

    sleep, sleep tricks, sleeping techniques, science, scientific research, placebo effect, placebo
    Can a warm cup of tea help you sleep better? If you believe it, then yes. Photo by Dana Ciurumelea on Unsplash

    You could take the concept a step further and alter your morning routine on nights you know for a fact you didn’t sleep well. Perhaps it’s by using a new coffee brand, doing some stretches before getting out of bed, or meditating before starting your day. Anything that you truly believe might help make you more alert and focused may just work.

    One viral social media sleep trend capitalizes on this research perfectly. Researchers have shown that forcing your mouth into a smile has been shown to improve your mood. Turns out, similarly, you may be able to get sleepy by pretending to be super tired. Psychologist Erica Terblanche calls it the “alpha bridge,” and it involves gently closing your eyes, fluttering them open just a tad, and then closing them again as you relax and breath. It simulates the feeling of “nodding off” and is said to create the alpha brainwaves that transition your brain from wakefulness to sleep. It’s another clever way of tricking your own brain.


    @erica.terblanche

    Here’s a skill to help you fall asleep on an airplane or anywhere else for that matter. . Its called going over the Alpha Bridge. #EricaTerblanche #ThriveGuru #motivation #sleeping

    ♬ Solas x Interstellar – Gabriel Albuquerqüe

    It sounds cheesy, but the power of mindset and positive thinking is truly tremendous. Our beliefs and thought patterns can greatly influence our body, our behavior, and our mood. Sometimes, our mindset can even be stronger than actual reality. Now we have the data to prove that it applies to our precious sleep, too.

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  • ‘Spiritual shift’: ICU nurse shares the one phrase that means someone will pass very soon
    A man who is ready to pass away. – Photo credit: via Canva/Photos
    ,

    ‘Spiritual shift’: ICU nurse shares the one phrase that means someone will pass very soon

    “You guys, people know when they’re gonna die.”

    Tod Perry

    When people in the healthcare world experience people dying on a regular basis, they begin to see patterns as to when patients will pass away. Hospice workers say that when people are in their final days, they begin to see the people they’ve loved in the past surrounding their hospital bed. They will share many of the same regrets and have frequent hallucinations.

    Kirstie Robb, a TikToker who has worked as an ICU nurse for the past four years, has noticed a trend in people who are about to pass away. She says that when she hears a specific phrase from those who are brought in, regardless of the reason, they will be gone very soon: “Every single person who passes away says the same thing,” she explained in her TikTok. “They say…’Can you please tell my family I love them? I don’t feel good. I know I’m gonna die.’”

    Somehow, people know when they are ready to die

    Death is such a mysterious process that Robb can’t believe that so many people she’s seen know when the moment is upon them. We’re never trained to sense our death. Why is it that these people have such a clear understanding that it is upon them? Robb says it is due to an internal, spiritual shift that defies medical understanding. “You guys, people know when they’re gonna die,” she says.

    @kirstierobbb

    those who are meant to see this will see it.

    ♬ original sound – kirstierobbb

    “There’s a shift that happens that’s spiritual, that nobody can explain, right? Their vitals may be stable. Their condition may be the exact same way it was when they came in. There’s nothing inherently dangerous,” she continued. “Yet in every single circumstance, no matter what brought them in initially, no matter how many hours it is from the last time that they said that, they always die. Always.”

    Lessons from being among the dying

    Robb’s experience with the dying led her to remind everyone how important our lives are and to focus on what truly matters, rather than chasing material possessions. “Life is not meant to be an endless pursuit of things. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Life is meant to be appreciated. Life is meant to be explored. Why are you actually here?” Robb asks.

    There is no research-based reason for this shift that occurs in people when they know they are going to pass. But David Casarett, M.D., explained his experience with it in Psychology Today.

    afterlife, going to the light, bright light, death, final days, hallucination, heaven
    A man walking towards the light. viau00a0u200bvia Canva/Photos

    “What they tell me is that they feel—something. Something different, or changing, or new. One young man dying of a sarcoma told me he felt free. Another middle-aged woman dying of liver cancer said she felt like she was falling out of a plane. Both had been correct to sense something amiss, and both died within the hour,” Dr. Casarett wrote. “I don’t know how we could possibly foresee our own deaths. I’m not saying it’s impossible; it’s just beyond my power to explain.”

    While there is a lot of mystery surrounding death, Robb and Dr. Casarett’s experience with it shows that those who are ready to pass away seem to be at peace and are accepting of their final journey home, wherever that may be. It should give all of us a feeling of relief that our final hours may be the most peaceful we ever experienced.

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  • ,

    Google productivity expert says “fun homework” can make you happier. Here’s why it actually works.

    The simple trick Google productivity expert Laura Mae Martin swears by.

    Kat Hong

    We all know the feeling. You walk through the front door after a long day, or slam your laptop shut, and the weight of the world slides off your shoulders. Your overworked brain, desperate to relax, entices you to collapse onto the couch and scroll through your phone until it’s time to sleep.

    But is this the best way to recharge? By doing nothing? Experts say no.

    @xparmesanprincessx Spending this cozy Sunday planning my curriculum for 2026 ✍️ I’m going to break my year up in to 4 semesters with different themes and focuses for each month and have more long term learning projects like relearning Spanish! #curriculum #learning #personalgrowth #personalcurriculum #books ♬ original sound – Elizabeth Jean

    A fascinating trend on social media is trending, called the “personal curriculum.” Championed by Google executive productivity advisor Laura Mae Martin, the concept is simple yet counterintuitive. The idea is to assign yourself “homework”—not to earn a degree, promotion, or extra cash, but for the pure joy of learning. TikTok user Elizabeth Jean also helped popularize the term “personal curriculum,” and posts videos with tips on how to create your own.

    Adding tasks to an overflowing to-do list might sound like a recipe for burnout, but Martin suggests that a structured, self-directed learning plan can boost energy, sharpen the mind, and restore a sense of identity.

    The unexpected science of “fun homework”

    It’s easy to compare our brains to batteries that drain during the day and require total rest to recharge. But cognitive science shows that our minds are more like muscles. To stay healthy, we need new and interesting activities that challenge us.

    When we engage in what researchers call “cognitively stimulating activities,” the physical structure of our brains changes. A 2017 report from the Global Council on Brain Health highlighted that keeping the mind active is essential for maintaining brain health as we age. Creative activities like painting, photography, or writing can reduce cortisol levels and lower stress hormones, creating an emotional regulation loop that leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for the next day.

    A systematic review in BMJ Open found a clear link between lifelong learning and a lowered risk of dementia. Researchers explained that challenging the brain with new information builds cognitive reserve, a.k.a. its ability to adapt and remain resistant to damage.

    Think of it as investing in your mental future. Each time you tackle a new language lesson or deep-dive into Renaissance art history, you’re strengthening your brain in ways that can last a lifetime.

    Redefining what it means to be productive

    The word “productivity” can carry heavy connotations. It suggests endless checklists, exhausting efficiency hacks, and squeezing every drop of output from our waking hours. Laura Mae Martin offers a refreshing alternative, defining productivity in simple terms: productivity is accomplishing what you intend to do, when you intend to do it.

    This meaning allows us to reclaim our time. It shifts our mindsets from external validation to internal satisfaction.

    How to build your syllabus

    Let’s put this in practical terms. How do you bring these “nice ideas” into the real world? By creating a “personal curriculum” and treating it with the same respect you would have for a college course. Humans respond well to structure and deadlines. Here’s how to create a syllabus that sticks:

    1. Follow the spark: Genuine curiosity must drive your personal curriculum. If you hated calculus in high school, don’t pick it up again for arbitrary reasons, like trying to feel smart. Look for subjects that make you lose track of time. Identifying every tree in your neighborhood could be one, or mastering the perfect sourdough loaf.
    2. Diversify your materials: Learning exists everywhere, not solely in dense textbooks. Keep required texts engaging and fun, mixing in podcasts, workshops, flashcards, and documentaries. If you are learning a new language, listen to an album in that language. If you’re studying paleontology, visit a local natural history museum.
    3. Set the scene: Get yourself in the zone with a little learning mise en place. Find a specific chair and reserve it for reading, or flipping through flashcards. Make a study playlist and fill it with songs to play in the background. When you sit in that chair, or hit play, you are signaling to your brain that it’s time to switch into “student” mode.


    The 20–30 minute rule

    Don’t spend all your free time on this. Overload is the greatest pitfall with personal curriculums. We get excited, plan to study every night for two hours straight, then find ourselves exhausted and discouraged.

    Sustainability lies in the “Goldilocks” rule for time commitment: keep sessions between 20 and 30 minutes.

    Simple 20–30 minute blocks fit into even the busiest schedules. Slot one in after dinner or while drinking your morning coffee. Yet, they’re long enough to achieve a flow state.

    @valeriecradd November curriculum! I’m keeping this months curriculum light! – #novembercurriculum #selflearning #blackgirltiktok #blackgirlcontentcreator ♬ Coffee and Chords – ya-su

    Valerie Craddock, a content creator, shared her November curriculum on TikTok, embracing this method. It included gentle, actionable goals: walk 8,000 steps, practice penmanship three times a week, work out for 30 minutes. By keeping her curriculum low stakes, Craddock set herself up for a winning streak instead of a guilt trip.

    Make room for what matters

    How do you protect this newfound time? Martin suggests a simple but effective tactic: integrating your personal calendar with your work one.

    This gives you a complete view of the week. You might see Tuesday packed with meetings, so you’ll make a mental note to keep that evening free. Thursday looks much lighter, offering the perfect window to pencil in that 30-minute creative writing session.

    productivity, book, google, expert, homework
    Woman working, productively. Photo credit: Canva

    An approach like this helps you honor the natural ebb and flow of energy, and prevents you from overcommitting on days when you’re already drained. When you schedule “fun homework” with the same seriousness as an All-Hands meeting, you’re sending yourself a powerful message: personal growth is as important as obligations.

    Redefining “you”

    One of the most rewarding aspects of the personal curriculum is its ability to reshape our sense of self. In a society obsessed with asking, “What do you do for work?” discovering an answer that’s not attached to a paycheck can feel freeing.

    When you learn, you transcend the role of parent, employee, or partner—you become a historian, linguist, painter, or botanist.

    Buy the notebook, write a syllabus, and enjoy becoming a beginner again. You might discover that a little homework can unlock the key to reconnecting with yourself.

    Keep Reading →
  • Experts explain why the ‘Infinity Tracing Technique’ can be a game changer for people with insomnia
    Left: A woman who can't sleep. Right: An infinity symbol. – Photo credit: Canva
    , , ,

    Experts explain why the ‘Infinity Tracing Technique’ can be a game changer for people with insomnia

    The simple technique can help with basic relaxation, too.

    Cecily Knobler

    It’s 2:00 a.m., and you simply can’t get your mind to shut down. You’ve tried counting sheep, but they just keep crash-landing into meadows, making the insomnia even worse. Maybe you’ve tried every trick in the book, from over-the-counter sleep aids to lavender-scented pillows. Well, there’s one more trick to try, and some people swear by it.

    It’s called the “Infinity Tracing Technique,” and it’s actually quite simple. Simply put your finger in the air and imagine tracing the infinity symbol (the number eight sideways) for a couple of minutes. This easy technique can instantly help calm an overactive mind.

    @drjoe_md

    Is the infinity tracing technique the hack you need for an overthinking brain? #overthinking #anxiety #insomnia #mentalhealth

    ♬ original sound – Dr. Joe, M.D. ?

    Dr. Joe Whittington explains the idea in layman’s terms in a TikTok video. “You ever lay in bed at night overthinking all the embarrassing things you’ve done since childhood?” he asks. “Same. So I’m gonna teach you a technique that might help you calm your overactive brain.”

    He breaks down exactly how to do it:

    “What you do is you take your finger, put it in the air, and you trace the infinity symbol slowly and methodically. Not like you’re casting spells. And as you’re tracing this infinity symbol, you’re gonna just follow it with your eyes. Only your eyes. What this does is it activates your vestibular center, which is involved with your balance and eye movements. When your vestibular system gets activated, it can help calm racing thoughts. Sort of like distracting a toddler with a shiny object, except for the toddler is your overactive brain.”

    It’s helpful to the brain in other ways, too. “It’s a technique often used in therapy and neuroscience to help you stop doomscrolling your regrets,” he adds.

    relaxation techniques, sleep, sleep hacks, Infinity Tracing technique, figure eight
    A blue light painting of an infinity symbol. Photo by Sandip Kalal on Unsplash

    Whittington is likely referring to a therapy technique called EMDR, which uses similar methods involving eye movement. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and it’s used to help people process complex trauma.

    The EMDR Institute explains how it works:

    “During EMDR therapy, the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. Therapist-directed lateral eye movements are the most commonly used external stimulus, but a variety of other stimuli, including hand-tapping and audio stimulation, are often used.”

    Similarly, the Infinity Tracing Technique pairs eye movements with specific brain activity to help calm the mind and redirect focus. This technique has recently become popular due to therapists and influencers sharing it online.

    Sarah Jackson offers additional insight in her Instagram Reel, where she demonstrates the process using a capped blue marker to “write” in the air. She explains that “Figure-8 tracking,” as she calls it, activates not only the vestibular system but also the ocular system.

    “Eye muscles connect directly to the brainstem — the part of the brain that governs survival functions,” she writes. “Tracking a moving object sends rhythmic signals, saying: I’m balanced, I’m oriented, I’m safe.”

    Jackson further explains:

    “The vestibular system regulates balance and spatial orientation. Its connection to the brainstem helps calm the nervous system. Smooth, predictable movement supports groundedness, signaling safety. Cross-lateral movement integrates both hemispheres, aiding emotional processing and shifting focus from internal preoccupation to external grounding.”

    Many followers of both social media accounts say they’ve benefited from the technique. One TikToker jokes, “So I don’t need to try to remember my junior high school locker combo?”

    On the Instagram Reel, one commenter notes that the technique works: “This is great and so effective! I’m always looking for quick wins like this on those days where you can’t tell where the time goes.”

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