Take the Hello Brain Challenge

We all brush our teeth every day but most of us never spare a thought for
our brains. Did you know that activity, attitude and simple lifestyle changes
can boost your brain health and may even act as a buffer against decline in
brain function?

Hello Brain provides easy-to-understand scientific information about brain

health and practical tips on how to keep your brain healthy.
Visit www.HelloBrain.eu for brain health information that you can trust.

How does the Hello Brain Select a daily Brain Buff from the suggestions
provided. Make sure to alternate between
Challenge work? categories for balanced brain health.
Do one thing every day to help your brain
Track your personal progress using the diary
to stay healthy.
sheet and graph in the Appendix on page 7.
We call that one thing a Brain Buff.
Tell your friends and complete the challenge
together.
The free Hello Brain app provides daily
suggestions and support during your first
Like our Facebook page
100 days. But dont worry, you can still
and share your Hello Brain
take the challenge even if you dont have a
Challenge experience
smart phone.
with others.
In these pages we will provide you with most
of the information that the app includes. Anything else
There are five Buff Categories:
I need to know?
- Consider the suggestions offered on these
Physical pages as a guide.
Social - Feel free to choose your own activities.
- Do things outside your comfort zone;
Mental
stretch yourself a little.
Attitude - Learning is like a powerful brain
changing drug.
Lifestyle
- Learning generates new brain cells.

Mental Attitude Social

1
Get physically active
Regular physical activity stimulates
your brain and benefits every aspect
of your health.
Mental Physical

Read more: http://hellobrain.eu/en/brainhealth/project?id=get-physically-active

PHYSICAL BUFFS

You can decide on your own activity or you can choose from one of the suggestions below.
Don’t forget to update your diary once you have completed your daily Brain Buff.

1 Get your body moving for at least 10 Exercise may improve day-to-day memory
minutes today - dance, cycle, walk,
run, garden - you choose

2 Spend 10 minutes improving Staying active can help you to remain

your balance today independent as you age

3 Move to music - put on your favourite Exercise helps to grow connections in

song and dance around your kitchen, the brain
bedroom, or office

4 Do 1, 2 or 3 sets (8-12 repetitions) of a Regular physical activity is associated

muscle strengthening activity today with reduced levels of depression

5 Go for a walk at lunch-time Walking for 45 minutes 3 times a week

is associated with increased activity in
brain cells associated with attention

6 Walk to work today or get off one Exercise improves mental health
stop early and walk some of the way

7 Consider new ways to exercise. Exercise may increase your levels of social
Google classes in your area e.g. interaction which is also good for your brain
dancing or hill-walking

8 Play active games with your Did you know that swimming every day
children, grandchildren or nieces/ improved memory in middle-aged mice?
nephews today

9 Skip a TV show in favour of some Exercise is good for brain health as it

physical activity decreases stress and anxiety which are
not good for the brain

10 Take the stairs instead of the lift today Regular physical activity is associated with
better cognitive function in older adults

2
 Stay socially engaged
Keeping socially active can play
an important role in keeping
your brain sharp.
Physical Mental Attitude Social

Read more: http://hellobrain.eu/en/brainhealth/project?id=stay-socially-engaged

SOCIAL BUFFS

You can decide on your own activity or you can choose from one of the
suggestions below. Don’t forget to update your diary once you have completed your daily
Brain Buff.

1 Call a friend or relative for a chat Just 10 minutes of social interaction can
increase your brain performance

2 Share a mealtime with someone today Simple social interaction may deliver greater
benefits for your brain than solving crossword
puzzles

3 Share something from the Social interaction helps to maintain

Hello Brian website with a friend brain health

4 Put yourself in a place with people Experiencing new situations and people
and start a conversation is a critical element for neuroplasticity

5 Chat with someone at least Research shows that when generations

20 years older or 20 years interact everyone benefits
younger than you today

6 Nurture a new friendship People who are socially active are less likely
to develop cognitive impairment

7 Initiate a get‑together with family, Combine social activity with physical activity
friends or colleagues and mental challenge for added benefit

8 Offer to help a friend or relative Getting involved in social activities is not

with a chore only rewarding but may lower your risk of
developing dementia

9 Engage with the Hello Brain People who are socially active are less likely
Facebook community to develop cognitive impairment

10 Identify local volunteering Consider volunteering in your community

opportunities on a regular basis

3
Challenge your brain
Learning generates new brain cells,
and mental stimulation keeps you
mentally young.
Mental Physical Mental
Read more: http://hellobrain.eu/en/brainhealth/project?id=challenge-your-brain

MENTAL BUFFS

You can decide on your own activity or you can choose from one of the suggestions below.
Don’t forget to update your diary once you have completed your daily Brain Buff.

1 Do something creative today: Mastering a challenge can make us feel less

make an artistic picture with pen, depressed and also helps the front part of
pencil or phone our brain function better

2 Learn a new fact today and pass it Life-long learning and education are
on to someone, together with a good for brain health and lower the risk of
reason why they should know it developing dementia

3 Memorise the words of a new song, Learning enriches brain networks and
a poem, or a long quote opens new routes that your brain can use to
bypass damage

4 Challenge yourself to improve Increased complex mental activity late in

your computer skills. Learn to do life has been linked to lower dementia risk
something new on the computer

5 Already do puzzles regularly? Mastering a challenge is rewarding and can

Challenge yourself to move to increase the activity of the brain’s chemical
harder levels dopamine

6 Start a book from a genre that Challenge, novelty and learning are vital for
you wouldn’t normally read (Sci-fi, brain health
gardening, thriller, biography)

7 Try a strategy game like chess. Mental activity may add to cognitive
Play with a friend or download an app reserve and may help maintain function
longer if dementia strikes

8 Become a tourist in your own city. Challenge, novelty and learning are vital for
Visit a museum, art gallery, historical brain health
building or exhibition

9 Memorise the stops on your bus or Mental activity may add to cognitive
train trip to work and try to recall reserve and may help maintain function
them on the trip home longer if dementia strikes

10 Challenge yourself to master Increased complex mental activity late in

something new. Research night life has been linked to lower dementia risk
classes or online courses

4
 Manage stress, think young, think positive
Learning to manage the stress that you
experience can have a positive effect
on your brain health
Mental Physical Mental Attitude
Read more: http://hellobrain.eu/en/brainhealth/project?id=change-your-attitude-
manage-stress-think-young-think-positive

ATTITUDE BUFFS
You can decide on your own activity or you can choose from one of the suggestions below.
Don’t forget to update your diary once you have completed your daily Brain Buff.

1 Pay attention to the present – Paying attention to the present improves

focus on what is taking place in the memory and reduces stress
here and now

2 Explore an everyday object for 30 Notice the world through touch.

seconds today. Feel temperature, Mindfulness meditation alters regions
texture, pressure and movement of the brain associated with memory

3 Smile at least five times today – even, Smiling sincerely can ease stress
or especially, if you don’t feel like it

4 Schedule a pleasant event – do Depression is a risk factor for dementia.

something that makes you feel special Pleasant activities improve the quality of
your life

5 Be realistic about what others (family, People who are relaxed and outgoing have
friends, colleagues) can achieve today a lower risk of developing dementia

6 Go easy on yourself today – accept Talking about your feelings can put things
‘good enough’ rather than ‘perfect’ in perspective

7 Pick one thing that you feel too old Growing old is as much a state of mind as it
to do and do it today is a biological reality

8 Pace yourself today, take regular People who are relaxed and outgoing
breaks and use the time for a short have a lower risk of developing dementia
walk, a power nap or a chat

9 Close your eyes for 30 seconds today Being present-minded allows you to stay
and count how many different sounds away from negative thoughts that can
you can hear cause stress or depression

10 Consciously question your own You can improve your mental function
attitudes to middle and old age today by revising your negative beliefs about
growing old

5
Adapt your lifestyle to protect your brain
There are life choices that you can
make to positively influence your
brain health.
Mental
Read more: http://hellobrain.eu/en/brainhealth/project?id=adapt-your-lifestyle-to-
protect-your-brain

LIFESTYLE BUFFS
You can decide on your own activity or you can choose from one of the suggestions below.
Don’t forget to update your diary once you have completed your daily Brain Buff.

1 Have a day free from processed Obesity and lack of physical exercise are
foods today linked to an increased risk of developing
dementia

2 If you are a smoker, reduce your If you stop smoking you can lower your risk
cigarette intake by 10% today of developing dementia

3 If you are overweight have a Tackling increased body weight through

snack‑free day today diet and exercise is likely to improve your
brain health

4 Make your bedroom a technology‑free Sound sleep may boost memory recall by
zone today. No phone, laptop, or TV allowing your brain to process information
in bed from the day

5 Have a sugar‑free day today. Type 2 diabetes, together with poor sugar
Read the labels control increases your risk of getting
dementia

6 Decide on a reasonable time to go to Your brain builds memories while you sleep
bed and stick to it today

7 Substitute your regular snack The brain benefits from a diet low in
with a fruit snack today saturated fats and high in brightly coloured
fruits and green veg

8 Prepare at least one healthy meal The brain benefits from a diet low in
from fresh ingredients today saturated fats and high in brightly coloured
fruits and green veg

9 Have a vegetarian day today The brain benefits from a diet low in
saturated fats and high in brightly coloured
fruits and green veg

10 Have an alcohol‑free day today Light or moderate consumption of alcohol

may be protective but heavy drinking is
harmful for brain health

6
Appendix – Diary
Enter the date, describe the activity and tick which of the five buff categories the activity
fitted into, making sure to spread your activities evenly across across all 5 categories. By
the end of this mini-challenge you should have completed 10 activities in each category.
Physical
Social
Mental
Attitude
Lifestyle

Day Date Activity Description

10

11

12

13

14

15
Physical
Social
Mental
Attitude
Lifestyle

7
 33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
Day
Diary

Date
Activity Description

8
Physical Physical
Social Social
Mental Mental
Attitude Attitude
Lifestyle Lifestyle
 50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
42
41
40
39
38
37
36
35
34
Day
Diary

Date
Activity Description

9
Physical Physical
Social Social
Mental Mental
Attitude Attitude
Lifestyle Lifestyle