Gut Microbiome Link To ADHD Reinforced In Scientific Review
The link between a gut imbalance and symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has been further supported by a University of the Sunshine Coast scientific review. More >>
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RNZ News
18-05-2025
- RNZ News
How often should you turn off your phone and devices?
By Amy Sheehan , ABC Lifestyle Switching devices off and on is a reset, and can also improve battery life. Photo: Public domain Explainer: When was the last time you powered down your phone or laptop? If you're like me, the work laptop is switched off at the end of most workdays, unless I'm rushing out the door. When it comes to the phone, not so often. We asked two technology experts how often we should be turning off our phones and devices, and the risks to battery life and our data if we don't. Senior lecturer in computer sciences at the University of the Sunshine Coast Dr Erica Mealy explains we can think of device shutdowns like cleaning a messy car - relatable. "It's a bit like, you have your kids in the car, and they eat in the car and crumbs start getting everywhere," said Dr Mealy, who is from the Sunshine Coast /Kabi Kabi land. "That turn-off is like a reset, getting the vacuum [cleaner] in there and it's just getting all the crumbs out of the way. "When we reset, and turn off and turn on, generally, all of that gets cleared out." Switching devices off and on can also improve your battery life , according to Dr Mealy. "[Your device can be] running lots of things all the time and it switches in between all of those," she said. "You might notice your computer or your phone gets more sluggish, and that's just because it's trying to keep doing all of these things. "If we can shut that down, and some of the extra bits and pieces get shut down with it, then the computer can go, 'Oh, I've got less going on'." She said turning off phones and devices at least weekly was recommended to maintain good digital hygiene. "[Digital hygiene] is this idea that you don't store information you don't want to have accidentally leaked." School of Computing and Information Systems lecturer at Melbourne University Dr Suelette Dreyfus said restarting your devices at least once a week could prompt important software updates such as "patches". Patches are small bits of software that stop malware from getting into your iPhone or Android or desktop. For Windows machines, these are generally released on the second Tuesday of each month, known as 'Patch Tuesday'. "Some software checks for updates [patches] and downloads them, when the device is powered off and on, particularly when you've enabled auto-updates," Dr Dreyfus said. She said sometimes patches were released in response to an identified threat. If you want to check your device is up-to-date, Dr Dreyfus said to go to your system control panel and look for updates from your device maker - and run them. The experts say closing apps and browsers before turning off a phone or device may also be helpful for security. This also applies to private or incognito browsing, which doesn't guarantee that your data can't be found. "Your machine can keep this information temporarily in memory, while your browser window is active, even if your device is 'asleep',' Dr Dreyfus said. "Fully powering off a device should remove this material by wiping that volatile memory. "If you just put your machine to sleep... and then you never close the incognito browsing window, then third-party tracking may be alive and well." Dr Mealy said this was when you could be susceptible to hackers and data breaches. "If you've got multiple tabs open and your browser's set to reopen them when you come in [or turn it back on], sometimes it might not completely clear everything out," she said. We should change our passwords as often as we're changing our toothbrushes, every three months or once a season, Dr Mealy says. "It's annoying, and it's the kind of thing you have to set a reminder for but it can really help in making sure that passwords [which] have been leaked aren't being reused," she says. Dr Dreyfus also recommended changing your device settings to auto-install manufacturers' patches/updates as soon as they were released. "That simple tweak can save you weeks of heartache from having to clean up device infection," she said. It is also recommended to set up multi-factor authentication - a security measure that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource, such as an online account or application. "You need to dip into the settings for all your valuable online accounts and turn it on," she said. "Yeah, it's going to take you 15 minutes to set up but then smooth sailing." - ABC
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Scoop
Gut Microbiome Link To ADHD Reinforced In Scientific Review
The link between a gut imbalance and symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has been further supported by a University of the Sunshine Coast scientific review. More >>
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Scoop
Gut Microbiome Link To ADHD Reinforced In Scientific Review
Press Release – University of the Sunshine Coast The link between a gut imbalance and symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has been further supported by a University of the Sunshine Coast scientific review. The paper, published in Neuroscience, reviewed more than 280 studies and found mounting evidence that the immune system, neuroinflammation and a disturbed balance of bacteria in the gut played a role in ADHD symptoms. Lead author Naomi Lewis said two types of bacteria were particularly implicated: the Bacteroides species and Faecalibacterium. 'What we found was that there are compositional differences in the types of bacteria in the gut that may contribute to inflammation, brain functioning differences, and symptoms, in ADHD,' Ms Lewis said. In particular, certain Bacteriodes species that may improve the integrity of the intestinal barrier were found in less abundance in people with ADHD. 'Similarly, low levels of Faecalibacterium in the gut, also implicated in ADHD, has been linked with inflammatory conditions. 'Systemic inflammation cuts through the blood-brain barrier and can cause neuroinflammation, potentially from a very young age.' Ms Lewis said although ADHD was highly heritable, there were still environmental links to the severity of symptoms. 'It's important to remember there is a lot of complexity here, so no one thing is causing ADHD,' she said. 'Genetics still play a major role, but this research suggests you may want to look at the best support for minimising inflammation, particularly going into pregnancy.' 'The research in this space is still quite limited, but what we do know is that gut health plays an enormous role in mental health and neurological conditions,' Ms Lewis said. 'Gut bacteria can affect neurological processes in the brain, impacting behaviour and emotional regulation.' Co-author, UniSC Nutrition and Dietetics senior lecturer Dr Anthony Villani, said the review added to the global understanding on the impact of the gut microbiome on mental health. 'Most studies have found children with ADHD have poorer diets, with more added sugars and more processed foods compared to those without. 'But whether that is cause or affect we don't know, but there is certainly a need for more research,' Dr Villani said. Across the hundreds of papers reviewed, the evidence supports adopting lifestyle choices that nurture the gut microbiome. This includes minimising antibiotics, stress, and alcohol, saturated fats and refined sugar, eating more fibrous foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts – or adopting a Mediterranean-type diet as much as possible.
