Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by David Mayen
How Insomnia Connects Psychiatric Disorders to Dementia Risk
New research reveals that people with multiple psychiatric disorders face dramatically higher dementia risk, with odds increasing up to 11 times normal. Sleep recovery expert Jefferey Wilson, PhD, believes the missing piece of this puzzle is chronic sleep disruption - the hidden thread connecting mental health struggles to cognitive decline. A groundbreaking study published in BMJ Mental Health has sent shockwaves through the medical community.
Gaming and Sleep Disruption: How Online Games Are Rewiring Our Children’s Brains for Insomnia
If you’re watching your teen struggle with sleep after long gaming sessions, you’re not alone. Recent research reveals that problematic gaming affects sleep in ways many parents don’t realize, and understanding these connections is the first step toward helping your family find balance.
Your Brain Stays “Awake” Even While You Sleep: Groundbreaking Research Reveals the Hidden Truth About Modern Sleep Disorders
New Nature Communications, Biology, and Scientific Reports findings fundamentally change our understanding of sleep disorders. They reveal that traditional diagnostic methods may miss the core neurological dysfunction affecting millions worldwide.
Financial Stress Sleep Crisis: How America’s Cost-of-Living Emergency Is Creating a Nation of Insomniacs
A comprehensive study of 1,000 Americans reveals the devastating connection between economic pressure and sleep health, as financial stress reaches crisis levels and traditional sleep medicine fails to address the underlying anxiety driving widespread insomnia. The Hidden Health Crisis Behind America’s Economic Struggle While economists debate inflation rates and housing markets, a parallel health emergency unfolds in bedrooms across America.
The Anxiety-Insomnia Loop: How Each Condition Feeds the Other
The Vicious Cycle That Traps Millions Adrian first noticed the pattern during her sophomore year of college. Stress about upcoming exams kept her awake at night, which made her more anxious the next day, making sleep even more elusive. What started as occasional restless nights evolved into chronic insomnia, which then morphed into a constant state of anxiety about not sleeping. “I became afraid of my bed,” she recalls.
The Real Baseline Battle: Understanding the Rise of Panic Attacks in Professional Tennis
The pristine grass courts of Wimbledon and the gleaming hard courts of the Australian Open might seem worlds away from ordinary people’s everyday struggles. Yet beneath the spectacular athleticism and mental fortitude we associate with professional tennis lies a rarely discussed reality: these elite athletes are fighting battles far beyond their opponents across the net.
Child COVID Anxiety: The Lingering Anxiety Crisis in Youth and New Paths to Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic cast a long shadow over the mental health of children and young adults worldwide. Yet, as mask mandates fall and social distancing becomes a memory, the anxiety epidemic among children and adolescents remains stubbornly entrenched. Recent research reveals that despite the return to normal activities, anxiety disorders among young people in the US and Western Europe have not receded, and in many cases, have worsened.
Can AI Cure Insomnia? How Quantum Chips Could End Insomnia
David A. Mayen · Follow 6 min read · -- While today’s AI models can’t tackle chronic insomnia, tomorrow’s quantum computing might revolutionize our understanding of sleep disorders. Sleep Recovery, Inc. stands at the frontier of this fascinating field, exploring fascinating connections between technology and our brain’s natural rhythms. Most people view insomnia as nothing other than “trouble sleeping,” but the reality runs deeper.
PTSD After Toxic Relationships: How the Mind and Brain Work Against the Sufferer
David A. Mayen · Follow 14 min read · -- Rebecca sits alone in one corner of the bedroom, her heart racing against her ribs. Four years have passed since she left her emotionally abusive partner, yet her nervous system remains perpetually braced for danger. Sleep — once a refuge — has transformed into a battleground where fragments of psychological wounds resurface with unsettling clarity. “I’m safe now,” she tries to reassure herself.
EEG Biofeedback & Neurofeedback: Exploring its History and Technical Evolution
David A. Mayen · Follow 11 min read · -- It isn’t easy to know precisely where to start, be it neurophysiology, cybernetic theory, contemplative practice, or clinical psychology- these all have emerged as domains of inquiry that fundamentally challenge our understanding of consciousness: enter neurofeedback.
Insomnia in New Places: Surviving Sleeplessness in Travel, Moving, and Crisis
David A. Mayen · Follow 4 min read · -- Human neurology and sleep regulation systems exhibit remarkable sensitivity to environmental change, triggering complex neurological responses that can transform familiar restorative rest patterns into bewildering episodes of sleeplessness. Modern EEG science reveals how geographical transitions fundamentally alter our brain’s ability to achieve and maintain healthy sleep, creating challenges beyond simple jet lag or temporary adjustment.
Is Insomnia Linked to PTSD?
David A. Mayen · Follow 7 min read · -- Imagine yourself lying in bed, exhausted yet unable to sleep, your mind and body trapped in a state of constant alertness. For millions living with PTSD-related insomnia, this isn’t just an occasional inconvenience — it’s a nightly reality that transforms bedtime from a period of restoration into hours of heightened vigilance and distress.
Insomnia as a Sign of Creative Genius: The Juxtaposition Between Exhaustion & Art
David A. Mayen · Follow 6 min read · -- While most people sleep, some of our greatest creative minds remain stubbornly, brilliantly awake. This phenomenon raises an intriguing question: Is insomnia not just a symptom of genius but perhaps one of its driving forces? Stanley Kubrick is notorious for his perfectionist vision and equally infamous for his erratic sleep patterns.
South Sudan summons Kenya’s envoy over border dispute
South Sudan on Wednesday summoned Kenya’s envoy to Juba Samwel Nandwa to protest an alleged encroachment on its territory.
Kenya, South Sudan locked in border dispute
South Sudan has summoned Kenya’s envoy to Juba Samwel Nandwa to protest an alleged encroachment on its territory. A statement issued by South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says Juba wants a diplomatic solution to the dispute. “Hon Mayiik Ayii Deng met with the Kenyan Ambassador to South Sudan (Samuel Nandwa) to discuss areas of mutual concern. Issues concerning our mutual border were raised,” said the statement, referring to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Somalia, South Sudan most corrupt countries in the world: TI report
JubaSomalia and South Sudan are the most corrupt countries in the world, according to the latest ranking index by Transparency International (TI). According to the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Somalia is the most corrupt country, with South Sudan and Syria tying at number two. The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories around the world based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (least corrupt).
Somalia, South Sudan most corrupt countries in the world: TI report
Nairobi, Feb. 1 -- Juba Somalia and South Sudan are the most corrupt countries in the world, according to the latest ranking index by Transparency International (TI). According to the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Somalia is the most corrupt country, with South Sudan and Syria tying at number two. The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories around the world based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (least corrupt).
South Sudan revives law-making process amid fresh leadership wrangles
South Sudan has relaunched its bid to write a new constitution, a decade since the first attempt was scuttled by civil war. But the attempt could be marred by bickering by top unity government leaders over appointments. President Salva Kiir signed the Constitution Making Process Bill, 2022 into law in December, paving the way for the establishment of a team of drafters who are to put up a proposed supreme law within two years.
South Sudan revives law-making process amid fresh leadership wrangles
South Sudan has relaunched its bid to write a new constitution, a decade since the first attempt was scuttled by civil war. But the attempt could be marred by bickering by top unity government leaders over appointments. President Salva Kiir signed the Constitution Making Process Bill, 2022 into law in December, paving the way for the establishment of a team of drafters who are to put up a proposed supreme law within two years.
South Sudan's Kiir, Machar clash over sacking of Jonglei Speaker
South Sudan President Salva Kiir and his First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, have clashed over the sacking of a top regional state official, revealing old cracks in their coalition government. The dispute arose after President Kiir decided to void the appointment of Jonglei State Assembly Speaker Amer Ateny, a member of Dr Machar’s party, the Sudan People Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO).
Kenya's William Ruto urges President Kiir to end war in Upper Nile, Jonglei
Kenyan President William Ruto has appealed to his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir Mayardiit to de-escalate the conflict in Upper Nile and Jonglei states and deploy humanitarian efforts. President Ruto said the escalation of hostilities might ruin the 2018 peace agreement. “The increasing insecurity, violence, displacement and unfolding humanitarian crisis is detrimental to the peace and stability of South Sudan and the East Africa region as a whole,” said Dr Ruto in a statement Saturday.
‘White rebel’ label for journalist killed in South Sudan angers US
Juba The United States embassy in Juba has condemned the recent statement by South Sudan’s Information minister describing its journalist killed in war front years ago as a ‘white rebel’. Christopher Allen, a US-British journalist, was killed in a crossfire in Kaya Central Equatoria State in August 2017 during clashes between South Sudan’s Defence Forces and Sudan People Liberation Army-In Opposition.
Conflict hinders aid delivery to flood-hit South Sudan's Upper Nile
Violent conflict among armed factions in South Sudan’s Upper Nile and Greater Fangak is hindering humanitarian aid to thousands of people already devastated by flooding.
South Sudan’s oil sector pulls in more deals
South Sudan’s oil and related sectors are still attracting enthusiasts in spite of the publicised problems, including on revenue sharing. Two weeks after the South Sudan Oil and Power Conference (SSOP) in Juba, firms have been publicising their deals from the forum meant to drive business and investment in the country’s oil production.
South Sudan’s oil sector pulls in more deals
South Sudan’s oil and related sectors are still attracting enthusiasts in spite of the publicised problems, including on revenue sharing. Two weeks after the South Sudan Oil and Power Conference (SSOP) in Juba, firms have been publicising their deals from the forum meant to drive business and investment in the country’s oil production.
Sentry links banks, firms and senior officials to Sudan Sudan plunder
US advocacy group The Sentry is alleging $1 billion was embezzled in deals involving senior government officials, foreign companies and international banks in South Sudan. In the investigation titled Cash Grab: How a Billion-Dollar Scam Credit Robbed South Sudan of Fuel, Food and Medicine, The Sentry places the theft at the door of a 2012 failed letter of credit programme.
South Sudan to set up special court for cybercrime Original
Juba South Sudan will start implementing a new law on cybercrime by setting up a special court, the presidency has announced. The order by the Presidency on Tuesday said the Cybercrime and Computer Misuse Bill will be initiated by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs which will create a special court to adjudicate cases related to crimes of computer misuse.
UN: Bad weather causes plane to skid off runway in South Sudan
Juba An airplane operated by the United Nations on Monday evening skidded off the airport runway in South Sudan’s Malakal town of Upper Nile State. No injuries were reported. According to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), the incident was caused by bad weather. “Engineering peacekeepers from India, serving with UNMISS in Malakal, were thrown a surprise challenge the other day: a UN 78-seater aircraft arriving from Juba steered off the runway after landing.
131 women raped, 173 killed in South Sudan’s Unity State in 3 months - UN
Juba, At least 131 women and girls were raped and nearly 200 civilians killed in South Sudan’s troubled Unity State in three months’ time, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. “The two bodies have documented gross violations and abuses of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law in South Sudan’s Unity State.
South Sudan begins unifying ex-rebels and army
South Sudan’s unity government has begun unifying rival armed groups in a programme meant to create a professional military for the country. On Tuesday, Juba witnessed the first unification exercise after more than 20,000 armed fighters graduated from months-long training to transition to professional soldiers.
Kiir appoints new central bank governor
Juba, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday night appointed new governor and deputy governor for the central bank. Through a presidential decree on State-Run TV, Kiir appointed Bank of South Sudan deputy governor Johnny Ohisa as governor. Ohisa has been acting as interim lead after his boss Moses Makur was sent home earlier this month. Kiir then appointed Addis Ababa Othow as the new deputy governor. President Kiir did not give any reasons for the changes.
95 killed in South Sudan communal conflicts
Juba, At least 95 people have been killed in communal conflicts in South Sudan in July alone, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has reported. A humanitarian snapshot released by UNOCHA on Thursday and seen by The EastAfrican adds that more than 17,500 people were also displaced. “At least 80 people were killed during intercommunal violence in Kapoeta North County, Eastern Equatoria.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir fires his Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny
South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardiit fired his press secretary a day after he sent home the Finance minister and Central Bank governor. President Kiir sacked Ateny Wek Ateny, who served in his office for the last nine years, through a presidential decree aired on state-run TV SSBC Friday evening.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir fires his Press Secretary Ateny Wek Ateny
Juba, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardiit has fired his press secretary just a day after sacked his Finance minister and Central Bank governor. Through a presidential decree aired on State-Run Television Friday evening, President Kiir sacked Ateny Wek Ateny who served in his office for the last nine years. Kiir, however, did not disclose the reason behind Mr Ateny’s sacking apart from citing his constitutional powers that permits him to appoint and dismiss public servants.
South Sudan's Salva Kiir fires finance minister, central bank governor
South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardiit, on Thursday night, fired his Finance and Economic Planning minister Agak Acuil eight months after appointing him. Through a presidential decree, the President also sent home the central bank governor Moses Makur. In the surprise announcement on the state-run TV SSBC, President Kiir replaced Mr Acuil with former Bank of South Sudan Governor Dier Tong.
Concerns raised as South Sudan delays creation of peace accountability court
South Sudan’s peace monitoring body has expressed concerns over delays in creating a hybrid court, slowing the country’s bid to look into past atrocities. The Court is part of institutions which were to be set up under Chapter 5 of the Revitalised Agreement on the Cessation of Conflict in South Sudan (R-JMEC), the 2018 peace deal that halted war.
South Sudan suspends dredging of Nile tributaries
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardiit has suspended all dredging activities on Nile tributaries following opposition within his government, environmentalists and activists over the deal with Egypt. Mr Kiir’s order put to end weeks of public debate sparked by the arrival a month ago of a 21-truck convoy from Cairo with dredging equipment, which brought to light the agreement signed in April last year.
South Sudan’s water and irrigation minister Peter Manawa dies in Egypt
South Sudan Minister for Water and Irrigation died in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Sunday morning, his political party chairman Dr Riek Machar confirmed. Peter Manawa Gatkuoth, who was appointed during the formation of the revitalised coalition government in March 2020, died of high blood pressure in an unnamed hospital in Cairo, Egypt.
South Sudan Cabinet approves amended $2.7 billion budget
Juba, South Sudan's Council of Ministers has approved a $2.71 billion budget for the 2022/2023 financial year. The Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir on Friday, consented to the amended 1.3 trillion South Sudanese pounds ($2.71 billion) spending plan. The new budget shot up by 558 billion South Sudanese pounds ($1.187 billion), which the government said is the deficit.
South Sudan slams UN over renewed arms embargo, sanctions
Juba, South Sudan’s unity government has described the recent renewal of arms embargo and sanctions by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as unproductive. The Security Council voted to renew the sanctions amid unrest in the country. In a press statement seen by The EastAfrican on Friday, South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry said the Security Council should have followed the African Union position.
Meet election deadline for smooth transition, South Sudan urged
Juba, South Sudan’s peace monitoring agency has appealed to the Revitalized Transitional Legislative Assembly to urgently enact legislations aimed at meeting the elections deadlines as stipulated in the 2018 revitalized peace deal.
South Sudan sexual abuse cases top 700 in 3 months: UNMISS
Juba, More than 700 civilians in South Sudan have been abused sexually in the first quarter of this year, with the country seeing a rise in conflict-related abuse, a report by theUnited Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) indicates. In a statement seen by The EastAfrican on Wednesday, the mission said despite an overall decrease in violence against civilians in South Sudan, cases of conflict-related sexual violence have more than doubled, compared to the same period last year.
South Sudan urged to implement economic reforms to get IMF, World Bank loans
Juba, The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank says South Sudan can only access more loans after reforming its institutions, South Sudan official has said. Addressing journalists at the weekend, Agak Achuil, South Sudan Finance and Economic Planning minister, said this condition for loans was made known during his visit to Washington DC last week. “Our mission to Washington, DC, was successful. We clearly presented the case for continued support for South Sudan.
70 killed, 11 injured in South Sudan violence: UNMISS
Juba, At least 72 people have been killed and 11 wounded in a series of intercommunal conflicts in South Sudan’s Leer County of Upper Nile State, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). In a press release seen by Nation.Africa on Monday, UNMISS said it also recorded 64 cases of sexual violence. “UNMISS strongly condemns the widespread sexual violence, killings, including beheadings, burning alive of civilians, and attacks on humanitarians in Leer County.
MSF worker, dozens of civilians killed in fighting in South Sudan
Thursday, April 21, 2022 Aftermath of violence in Sudan in 2014. Dozens have been killed in the ongoing fighting in South Sudan’s Unity state following violence that broke out on April 4, 2022. Photo | File What you need to know: MSF said that since the latest fighting began, its clinic in Leer had received more than 25 patients with gunshot wounds and several other trauma victims, including survivors of sexual violence. Thousands of people have been displaced and are too scared to return home.
South Sudan's President Kiir travels to UAE for bilateral talks
Summary "The president will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of UAE on the areas in which South Sudan and the United Arab Emirates can further strengthen their relations and cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” said Ateny Wek Ateny, who heads Kiir’s Press Office. Advertisement By DAVID MAYEN Juba, South Sudan President Salva Kiir and a number of senior government officials left for the United State Arab Emirates Monday morning on a diplomatic mission, his spokesperson announced.
IGAD welcomes South Sudan deal on unification of forces
Juba, TheIntergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has welcomed the recent agreement signed by South Sudan’s main peace parties on the unification of command forces, in a move to form one professional army. In a statement seen by The EastAfrican on Monday, IGAD’s Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu applauded the step taken by peace parties towards the full implantation of transitional security arrangements.
Juba Peace: Salva Kiir and Riek Machar spar over army, police
Tuesday, March 29, 2022 South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar after their peace talk at the State House in Juba on December 17, 2019. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP What you need to know: On Sunday evening, government forces are reported to have surrounded Machar’s home. President Kiir downplayed the military deployment, saying it was a regular security routine.
Anxiety grips Juba as Kiir and Machar spar over security
Summary On Sunday evening, government forces are reported to have surrounded Machar’s home. President Kiir downplayed the military deployment, saying it was a regular security routine. Advertisement By DAVID MAYEN Tensions have been growing in South Sudan’s capital Juba as President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar disagree on how to implement some security arrangements as stipulated in the 2018 peace agreement.
Kenyan doctors arrested in South Sudan over fistfight on plane
Thursday, March 17, 2022 Cuffs Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group By David Mayen Journalist Nation Media Group Two Kenyan aid workers are being held in north western South Sudan for engaging in a fistfight aboard a flight last weekend. Police in Aweil, the capital city of Northern Bahr el Ghazal region, some 780 kilometres north of Juba, on Thursday told nation.africa that Mr Nicholas Wamwangi, 30, and Kelvin Kimani, 29, were still being held in remand.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with David
Contact David, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack