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title: Where your brain spends 90,000 hours
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The business case for helping protect employee brain health. ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­    ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

| View in browser Brain health tends to conjure images of memory loss and aging. But cognitive decline, anxiety, burnout, and depression are all brain health issues, and they're showing up in your workforce right now, regardless of age.   Adults spend roughly 90,000 hours at work over the course of their lives — more waking hours than almost anywhere else. That matters because brain health is shaped far more by daily environment and lifestyle than most employers realize.   Today, we’re sharing:   💡 The difference between mental and brain health 💸 How much brain health is costing you 🧠 How employers can act now  💌 An invitation to our upcoming National HIV Testing Day workshop   If someone forwarded you this email, you can stay informed and receive our newsletter directly by joining the mailing list. GLOSSARY Excuse Our Language   Mental health is one dimension of brain health.    Brain health encompasses the overall health and performance of the brain, across its full range of functions, including cognitive performance (memory, focus, processing speed), emotional regulation, social connection, sensory and motor coordination, neurological health, and mental health.    Mental health focuses specifically on emotional and psychological well-being, and can be affected by challenges like depression, anxiety, and burnout.    Many of the risk and protective factors for both brain and mental health are deeply intertwined. Things like social connection, financial security, sleep, physical activity, and psychological safety at work improve both mental health and brain health at large.  QUICK FACTS It's (Not) All In Your Head   The brain is central to everyday function: creativity, focus, memory, and productivity. Supporting brain health can boost employees' ability to process information, regulate emotions, and perform daily tasks. Brain health conditions, like Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and mental illnesses, cost the global economy an estimated $5 trillion each year — a figure projected to more than triple by 2030. 86% of adults say they want brain health education during an annual exam with their health care provider, regardless of whether they are experiencing memory issues. 45% of dementia cases are estimated to be preventable or delayable through lifestyle factors. Investing in brain health interventions could add $6.2 trillion to the global economy by 2050. Low-cost workplace changes that support brain health — such as reducing heat and noise, adding short recovery breaks, and easing financial stress — can raise productivity, with some interventions delivering returns as high as 256% and 54 times cost. TAKE ACTION Mind Your Business   Cognitive decline, anxiety, depression, and burnout are not separate problems with separate solutions. Research now shows they are connected outcomes of stress exposure, lifestyle patterns, and the conditions people live and work in over time.    When employers provide the right benefits and supports — for key risks like chronic stress, poor sleep, social isolation, and unmanaged health conditions — employees can perform better and stay healthier longer.   The HERO Scorecard, developed by the Business Collaborative for Brain Health and Mercer, found that organizations with both an annual and a long-term well-being strategic plan consistently outperformed those without health and well-being initiatives.   Brain health is also an equity issue. Black and Hispanic workers face higher rates of cognitive impairment than non-Hispanic white workers, a disparity tied directly to differences in health care access, financial security, and working conditions.    Four High-Impact Actions for Employers Expand your data: Collect and use mental health and psychosocial data — not just physical health claims data — in well-being strategic planning. Widen the net: Extend well-being program access to part-time, contract, and union workers, who face a greater risk for cognitive decline and mental health challenges. Train managers: Train managers on practices that build psychological safety. Employee perception of supervisor support is among the strongest predictors of brain health outcomes. Support financial health: Address financial well-being directly by offering coaching, emergency relief grants or loan funds, earned wage access, debt management tools, and retirement plans. Income instability and financial stress are consistently linked to reduced cognitive performance, particularly in younger and midcareer workers. Further Reading Health Action Alliance \| Workplace Mental Health  Health Action Alliance \| Migraine in the Workplace Sodexo \| Creating Workplace Environments That Support Brain Health Business Collaborative for Brain Health \| Developing a Brain Healthy Workplace Alzheimer’s Association \| Brain Health at Work  LIVE EVENTS Be Our Guest National HIV Testing Day, June 27, is a low-lift opportunity to take action on HIV. Join us on May 13 for a hands-on session for HR, ERG, or community relations leaders — whether you're new to HIV as a workplace issue or ready to go deeper. You'll hear real-world case studies, connect with peers, and leave with a draft plan and concrete next steps.   📅 May 13, 2026 ⌚ 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT 💻 Virtual via Zoom REGISTER Editorial Note: The Health Action Alliance is solely responsible for the content of this email and maintains full editorial control of its resources. The Health Action Alliance is the nation's largest employer network advancing public health. We help companies navigate evolving health challenges, strengthen workforce well-being, and partner with public health organizations to build stronger, healthier communities. Founded in 2021 by the Ad Council, Business Roundtable, CDC Foundation, the de Beaumont Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, HAA’s network has grown to more than 11,000 employers nationwide, collectively reaching over 50 million workers and their families. We believe good health is good business, and we equip employers with the tools, partnerships, and strategies to deliver on that promise. Powered by Meteorite, 145 S Fairfax Avenue, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90036-5653 Manage preferences |
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