Brain Health Mission Finland

The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) led Brain Health Mission is in Helsinki! 

In collaboration with the EAN and the City of Helsinki, the Brain Health Mission has launched a brain health campaign during the 10th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology. Keep an eye out for our brain health messages displayed on digital screens throughout the city!

Continue reading to learn more about the Brain Health Mission and our objectives for this initiative. An article written by our Finnish partners is provided below, with a Finnish version available at the end of the article.

• Stay Active: Engage in physical activity multiple times a week. Even light exercise contributes positively and helps manage weight.
• Healthy Eating: Eat as many vegetables and fruits as possible, as recommended, and cut down on hard fats.
• Social Interaction: Regular social engagement stimulates your brain and is beneficial for mental health.
• Mental Exercise: Your brain needs regular exercise. Engage in activities like puzzles, crossword, and reading to keep your mind sharp.
• Avoid Harmful Substances: Stay away from tobacco and limit alcohol/drug consumption.
• Adequate Sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night to support cognitive and overall health.
• Monitor Blood Pressure: Regularly check your blood pressure, especially after middle age, aiming to keep it below 140/90 mmHg, or lower if you have circulatory system conditions.

Physical activity should not only be enjoyable and varied but also fulfilling, offering a sense of accomplishment. It's crucial to discover a physical activity that you like, one that combines strength and endurance training. Gradually increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of your workouts to continuously challenge your body. Engaging in such activities benefits your physical health and stimulates your brain. Regular exercise profoundly impacts our bodies and minds by releasing endorphins, balancing hormones, and reducing stress. It improves sleep quality, aids in relaxation, enhances focus, and boosts energy. Additionally, it supports mood regulation, refreshes the mind, clears the brain, and can even extend life expectancy. Overall, maintaining an active lifestyle is essential for both physical health and mental clarity.

A healthy, balanced diet also supports brain health. Recommended foods include vegetables, berries, fruits, whole grains, fish, lean meats, dairy products, and the use of unsaturated fats.

Your brain needs to be kept busy. Be active and join others! Keeping your brain engaged through social activities, hobbies, music, reading, and creating arts can improve both your mental and overall health.

We also know that the right amount of stress is needed to keep your brain active. However, a 24/7 society can cause excessive psychophysical stress and disrupt sleep and circadian rhythms. It is worth trying to manage the amount of stress, as chronic stress can negatively affect brain function, particularly attention, memory, and motivation. Excessive stress is often associated with unhealthy lifestyles such as low physical activity, heavy alcohol consumption, increased smoking, weight gain, and increased mental disorders.

Make sleep a priority. Insufficient sleep leads to irritability, impaired judgment, and a higher risk of accidents. The most common sleep disorder, insomnia, it is a major problem because it puts a strain on the heart and blood vessels, impairs sugar metabolism and exacerbates memory and thinking problems. Sleep strengthens the memory of what you've learned during the day, so consistently cutting back on rest is not wise.

Lifestyle for Preventing Memory Issues: By adopting these healthy habits early and maintaining them throughout life, individuals can build a foundation that not only supports long-term brain health but also enhances overall quality of life, keeping the mind sharp and responsive as they age.

In collaboration with, European Academy of Neurology, EAN member organisation Finnish Neurological Association, Helsinki Barin and Mind and HUS Neurokeskus.

Reference List:  Brain Health Mission material

• Duodecim Health Portal. Current Care Recommendations for Obesity. Available at: [Systematic Development of National Guidelines for Obesity Care: The Swedish Approach - PMC (nih.gov)] (Accessed: May 6,2024).
• Duodecim Health Portal Brain Infarction, and the medical journal Duodecim articles 2024;140(3):230-6 and 2022;138(9):795-803 were also used as sources.
• Kivipelto, M. and Hellenius, M.-L. THL Finger Activity Model. Illustrated by Krona, M.
• Robitaille, A., Muniz, G., Lindwall, M., Piccinin, A.M., Hoffman, L., Johansson, B. and Hofer, S.M. (2014) 'Physical activity and cognitive functioning in the oldest old: Within- and between-person cognitive activity and psychosocial mediators', European Journal of Ageing, 11(4), pp. 333-347. doi: 10.1007/s10433-014-0314-z. Available at: [  Physical activity and cognitive functioning in the oldest old: within- and between-person cognitive activity and psychosocial mediators - PMC (nih.gov) ] (Accessed: May 6,2024).

Read this article in Finnish