New York Times Well launches 5-Day brain health challenge

Last week the New York Times Well desk kicked off 2026 with a 5-Day Brain Health Challenge. The newsletter’s host spoke with Dana Smith, who designed the challenge, about practical steps people can take to support brain health.

Smith said brain health is a topic that "touches all of us" and can feel scary and out of our control; many people have a family member who has experienced dementia or a stroke. She noted doom-and-gloom headlines — "A million people will develop dementia every year, for example" — but said that while the number of people with dementia is rising because the population is aging, the rates of dementia are actually declining.

Smith attributed that decline "almost entirely" to lifestyle changes. "The No. 1 thing is fewer people smoke," she said, and she cited better heart health and more people controlling blood pressure as other major contributors. The Well challenge aims to communicate "clear, actionable steps" such as eating well, sleeping well and exercising to benefit brain health.

Explaining the science behind the advice, Smith described molecules called exerkines released during exercise that can reach the brain, help heal damaged neurons, form new connections and protect against age-related shrinkage. She used sleep to illustrate a good brain day versus a bad one, and said the challenge is intended to tee up healthy habits for the year ahead.

Key Topics

Health, Dana Smith, Brain Health, Dementia, Stroke, Exerkines