How the equivalent of one coffee a week can affect a child’s sleep

The equivalent of just one cup of coffee a week can affect a child’s sleep and mental health, a new study has said.

Risk of mental health issues

A study from King’s College London found that children aged nine to 11 who drank caffeine, mostly from soft drinks, slept less and appeared to have a very slight lower surface area in the brain’s outer layer.

Those with the highest caffeine intakes also reported more mental health problems six months later, the study found.

Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s examined data from 9,632 children taking part in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study in the US.

• MRI scans were used to measure the thickness and surface of the cortex in the brain – an area used for thinking, learning and problem-solving.
• Researchers found that greater caffeine consumption was associated with lower surface area across the cortex, though as little as one caffeinated drink a week may have had an effect, compared with none.
• “We found that even fairly low levels of intake were linked to small differences in brain structure and later mental health, and lower sleep duration seems to be an important underlying link,” Dr Divyangana Rakesh, senior author of the study, said.

I’m a longevity expert. These four anti-ageing myths are junk science

Anti-ageing products range from supplements and blood tests to unapproved and sometimes dangerous medical procedures. There are four areas of anti-ageing research that Newman says are plagued by bad science.

EX-DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson sentenced to 15 years – what you need to know

Former Democratic Unionist Party leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for child sex abuse and rape.

What you need to know

The former DUP leader, who was an MP for 27 years until 2024, was convicted of 18 counts of sex abuse earlier this year, which he committed against two women when they were children.

• Complainant A said Donaldson had touched her breasts and kissed her, and in one incident, had used a light to examine her crotch.
• Complainant A said Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor, had witnessed an incident where he touched her under her clothing but did not intervene.
• Donaldson was found guilty of eight offences between 1999 and 2008.
• Eleanor Donaldson was found to have aided and abetted his crimes after a trial of the facts but cannot be given a prison sentence on mental health grounds.

The second victim

Complainant B is the elder of the two women who was abused by Donaldson.

• Complainant B described an incident where Donaldson “lifted her top up and her bra and started to touch her exposed breasts”.
• She added that Donaldson would frequently put his hand down her underwear.
• Complainant B also said Eleanor Donaldson had witnessed an incident where her husband had “played” with her breasts.
• The offences were committed between 1985 and 1991.

Victim A said the abuse had conditioned her experiences in adult life. She said she still suffers debilitating nightmares and has been medicated since her twenties.

Victim B said the abuse has affected every relationship she has ever had.

“I wonder what it is like not to be afraid at night,” she says.

The recruitment scam warning catching out 47% of Gen Z

Nearly half of adults aged 18-24 have been sent a message offering a job they had not applied for, a survey by Virgin Media O2 has found.

The company warned that recruitment scams can appear convincing, with victims tricked into paying fees, sending money, clicking links or downloading software.

• O2 identified scams on its network that promised hundreds of pounds for an hour or so of work per day, whilst others just looked like a regular message from a recruitment agency.

Worries over finding work exacerbates the problem

Half of the 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed said they are concerned about missing a genuine opportunity if they ignore unexpected recruitment messages.

Of those, 35 per cent said they would be tempted to respond to an attractive offer, even if they thought it might not be genuine.

How to check for a scam

“Before responding to an unexpected job message, check the opportunity directly with the company using contact details you’ve found yourself.”

Murray Mackenzie, director of fraud prevention at Virgin Media O2

Watch more from The i Paper

How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps

The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.

NHS GP dR RADHA

Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.

• The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
• This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
• We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
• Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.

Change your words

Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it. 

Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.

Express it

This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.

Notice more

Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?

The basics

By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.

Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality. 

• Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
• Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
• Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.

Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.

Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery

Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.

The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars. 

A champion of EV efficiency

It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.

It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.

Priced from £37,400

It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.

The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.

The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.

With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.

It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion. 

All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.

• While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
  

• It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps. 
• There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
• Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds. 

Victorinox paring knife

It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.

ProCook cast iron pan

For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice. 

Tesco chopping board

Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.

Pyrex jug

It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.

Salter scales

“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”

Microplane grater

It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match. 

Braun hand-held blender

It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce. 

Bodum cafetiere

As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.

Oxo peeler

What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.

Falcon pie dish

Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe. 

The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship

Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.

Start with your own behaviours

The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.

Express your needs

People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.

The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule

If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.

Lean on community

You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong. 

Stop blaming childhood

Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.

Reach for a
secure script

When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one. 

If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’

Loneliness elsewhere

When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.

• Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
• You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle. 
• Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
• Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.

Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…

A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice

More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.

Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.

These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.

Toast and jam

Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.

Vegetable soup

On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.

Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.

Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.

Snack bars

They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.

Low-fat yoghurt

A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.

On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.

Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.

• Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
• Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
• Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
• Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.