COVID-19 Pandemic and the Second Lockdown: The 3rd Wave of the Disease Through the Voice of Youth.

Around the beginning of the 2021 new year, Europe's COVID-19 third wave led many leaders to implement a new lockdown period, with the teaching-learning system returning to the online method once more. The present study aimed to understand the health consequences for adolescents and young adults (AYA) during the third wave's lockdown. This mixed-method study included 592 participants between 16 and 24 years old (M = 19.01, SD = 2.32), with the majority being female (70.9%) and students (82.3%) at high school (55.1%) or university (44.9%). Negative impacts are highlighted in the categories: relationships, physical activity (as well aseno impacts), screen time and academic stress; and no impactsin health and well-being, leisure activities, sleep, diet, academic performance and relationships with teachers and peers. Overall, when compared to the opposite gender, girls report more negative impacts on leisure activities and diet, although more positive impacts on diet, as well as on academic stress; boys stand out in the negative consequences on substance use. At the academic level, students in higher education show more negative impacts on relationships, leisure activities, sleep, diet, screen time and relationships with teachers and peers. Enlightened about the impacts of the second lockdown on their lives, and showing signs of "pandemic fatigue", this study draws attention to the need to associate psychological support measures with those implemented to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

#COVID#BACKTOSCHOOL: Qualitative study based on the voice of Portuguese adolescents.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the exponential increase in cases, educational institutions worldwide were forced to close, making way for digital learning. After a period of confinement and an online teaching methodology, a new school year has begun. However, this new school year included the application of a wide range of measures that transformed the educative setting. The present study aimed to understand the health consequences for adolescents and young adults (AYA) during the back to school period after the COVID-19 lockdown. This mixed-method study included 304 participants between 16 and 24 years old (M = 18.4, SD = 2.12), female (71.1%), Portuguese (90.8%) and students (85.2%). In general, it was with a pessimistic perspective that young people in general, particularly girls and university students, understood the new school reality postconfinement, the effects on friendship relations, leisure activities and physical activity. By demonstrating AYA's ability and competence to identify and expose their problems, this study intends to raise awareness of the need for their involvement in the issues that affect them.

Sleep and Awakening Quality during COVID-19 Confinement: Complexity and Relevance for Health and Behavior.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep and awakening quality (SQ and AQ) during COVID-19 in a large and diversified population in order to identify significant associations and risks in terms of demography, health and health-related behaviors, sleep variables, mental health, and attitudes. METHODS/RESULTS: Online surveys were used for data collection, received from 5479 individuals from the general population, sleep disorder patients, and COVID-involved (medical doctors (MDs) and nurses) and COVID-affected professionals (teachers, psychologists, and dentists). SQ and AQ were worse in adults, females, and high-education subjects. Feeling worse, having economic problems, depression, anxiety, irritability, and a high Calamity Experience Check List (CECL) score during COVID were significantly associated with poor SQ and AQ. Shorter sleep duration, increased latency, poor nutrition, low physical activity, increased mobile and social network use, more negative and less positive attitudes and behaviors were associated with poor AQ. CONCLUSIONS: The SQ logistic regression showed gender, morbidities, CECL, and awakenings as relevant, whereas, for AQ, relevant variables further included age and physical activity. Aiming to have a high stress compliance, each individual should sleep well, have important control of their mood, practice positive behaviors while dismissing negative behaviors and attitudes, practice exercise, have adequate nutrition, and beware of technologies and dependences.