Want a Healthier Brain in 2026? Sign Up for Well’s 5-Day Challenge.

By Admin

16 Dec, 2025

Your brain is one of the most powerful and complex organs in your body. With nearly 86 billion neurons, it allows you to think, feel, move, remember, learn, and connect with others. From recalling your fifth-grade teacher’s name to learning something completely new, your brain works tirelessly every day. And the remarkable part is this: throughout your life, your brain never stops changing.

Because of this constant change, how you care for your brain plays a crucial role in your overall health, longevity, and happiness. While many people believe brain health is complicated or out of their control, the truth is far more encouraging. Optimizing brain health is relatively simple and can be achieved by adopting a few consistent, healthy habits.

Why Brain Health Matters at Every Age

The earlier you begin taking care of your brain, the better the long-term benefits. However, it is never too late to start. A major study published this summer, known as the POINTER trial, highlighted just how powerful lifestyle changes can be. The trial followed adults aged 60 to 79 who were at high risk of developing dementia. Over two years, participants improved their cognitive abilities simply by making a few key changes to their daily habits.

These findings reinforce an important message: brain health is not fixed. With the right actions, your mind can remain sharp, resilient, and capable well into later life.

What the 5-Day Well Challenge Is All About

The Well 5-Day Brain Health Challenge is designed to help you take those first meaningful steps. Starting on January 5 and running through January 9, you will be guided through five days of simple, science-backed activities that support brain health. Each day focuses on habits that strengthen cognitive function and promote long-term mental resilience.

Along the way, the challenge explains the science behind why these activities work, helping you understand not just what to do, but why it matters.

How to Join the Challenge

Getting started is easy. To receive each day’s challenge, you need to be signed up for the Well newsletter. If you already receive it, no further action is required. From Monday, January 5, to Friday, January 9, you will receive a daily email designed to boost your brain power. After the challenge ends, you will continue receiving the weekly Well newsletter, keeping you informed and inspired.

Why Signing Up With a Partner Makes a Difference

To get the biggest benefits from the challenge, participants are encouraged to sign up with a buddy. Long-term change is easier when you are accountable to someone else. An accountability partner increases the likelihood that you will stick with healthy behaviors even after the challenge ends.

The importance of accountability was clearly demonstrated in the POINTER trial. Participants attended regular support group meetings, which researchers referred to as the study’s “secret sauce.” According to Laura Baker, a professor of gerontology and geriatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine who helped lead the trial, the sense of accountability and community was a key reason why 89 percent of participants stayed committed for two full years.

The Power of Social Connection for Brain Health

Social connection is another powerful reason to buddy up. Research consistently shows that people with strong social support tend to have better cognitive resilience, a lower risk of stroke and dementia, and even healthier-looking brains. Simply sharing goals, progress, and encouragement with someone else can have a meaningful impact on mental well-being.

Your accountability partner can be anyone you trust and feel comfortable with—a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor, or anyone who is willing to commit to the challenge alongside you.

Take the First Step Toward a Healthier Mind

If you want a healthier brain in 2026 and beyond, this challenge is a great place to start. Small, consistent actions can lead to lasting improvements in how your brain functions and how you feel each day.

Share the challenge with a partner, mark your calendar for January 5, and commit to investing in your brain. We hope to see you—and your buddy—take this step toward better brain health together.