USA Today (3/1, Austin) reports on ways to address “fears and phobias” exacerbated by COVID-19. For example, both children and adults can be afraid of the dark. Approximately “11% of adults were already struggling with this fear before the pandemic, and experts say COVID has made matters worse.” Having “consistent bedtime routines” may be “helpful for anyone afraid of the dark.” In addition, “taking a bath or mindful breathing techniques can be helpful for adults and children alike, said” Mari Kurahashi, MD, MPH, “a director in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Stanford School of Medicine.” Dr. Kurahashi stated, “A predictable bedtime routine…helps condition the (person) to prepare for sleep by winding them down for bedtime.”
Related Links:
— “More Americans than ever are afraid of the dark, experts say. Here’s why. “Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, March 1, 2022