Blogg (available only in English and Finnish)
International Brain awareness week made me remember how important it is to take care of our brain and how comprehensively the well-being of our brain affects everything in our lives. I have been concerned about the increasing use of digital devices and what it does to our brain. Brain researcher, Riitta Hari, has said that a person and their brain need company. But if – and when – the physical encounters and interactions continue to decrease how all this will affect the health of our brain and overall well-being?
Another important topic for me is exercise and its effect on the brain. As a mother and as someone who used to work in the field of early childhood education, I think about all this especially from the children's point of view; what kind of example do we set for our children, and how could we protect them when we know that exercise is most important as a child when brain development is at its most active. Of course, the brain can and should be improved throughout life, but the foundation of brain health is built during childhood.
Metabolism slows down dramatically while we stay still. Getting enough exercise and maintaining healthy level of metabolism is difficult especially for those who work in office. This blog is written to all those who work in office or spends a proportion of your day behind desk. The goal of this blog is twofold
- To highlight the significance that even small increase of exercise has for your health and metabolism.
- To provide practical steps how you can increase physical activity while working in office environment.
The declining Cooper-test results of the young people doing Finnish military service is a concerning indication of the ever lowering physical fitness of the Finnish youth. As harmless as this may sound to some, the issue is lot bigger. The costs associated to low physical activity to the Finnish society are estimated not be in millions, but in billions. The issue is not just the physical, but also the mental health of the youth. In this blog I will discuss some of the latest results in the field and aim to provide some practical suggestions to improve worrisome situation.