Happy Friday!

Today is National Heat Awareness Day. Co-sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), today serves as a vital reminder to prepare for the dangers of extreme heat, with a strong focus on preventing heat-related illnesses and hot car tragedies as the summer months approach. Campaigns like "Stop. Look. Lock." are heavily promoted to prevent child and pet fatalities in parked vehicles.

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The NFL is finally treating mental health like the emergency it is. After losing players Marshawn Kneeland and Rondale Moore to suicide in the same year, the NFLPA launched free suicide prevention training for all active players and staff, teaching them to recognize warning signs and respond using three simple steps — "question, persuade, and refer" — while also expanding team clinician coverage to full-time starting in 2026.

Perhaps most powerful: when player A.J. Brown publicly shared his mental health story, requests for NFLPA mental health services doubled in the two weeks that followed — proof that when athletes speak up, teammates listen.

Read More: ’Mental Health Needs to Be a Top Priority’ — How the NFLPA Is Taking Steps to Support NFL Players After a Tragic Year (Yahoo!Sports)

A JAMA study found that Connecticut — along with nine other states — saw an 18% drop in suicide rates among young people following the 2022 launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, with states that had the biggest increases in call volume seeing the largest declines.

In Connecticut alone, crisis call volume has surged nearly 350% since 988 launched, with over 55,000 calls fielded in 2025 — and more than 95% of callers report their sense of crisis diminished during the call.

Read More: Suicide Rates Among Young People in CT Drop 18% After the Launch of 988, Study Finds (Connecticut Public)

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is a leading U.S. nonprofit dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders. Founded in 1979, the organization connects the public with science-backed resources and professional care.

Read More: The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) | Find Help

A 2026 JAMA study confirms that specific healthy diets lower the risk of cognitive decline, with experts pointing to five top brain-boosting foods: fatty fish rich in omega-3s, antioxidant-packed berries, leafy greens that reduce Alzheimer's-linked plaque, fiber-rich beans that fight brain inflammation, and two to three daily cups of coffee or tea — which a 43-year study linked to a 20% lower risk of dementia.

On the flip side, neurologists warn that ultra-processed foods, excess sodium, and daily red meat consumption are among the fastest ways to speed up cognitive decline. Remember that what you feed your body, you feed your mind — so let's eat our way to better brain health!

Read More: The Best Foods For Brain Health And Daily Productivity (Blavity)

MYTH: People with mental health disorders have low IQs.

FACT: There is no connection between IQ and mental illness.

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