Ghanaians can reduce their risk of neurological diseases by prioritising quality sleep and regular exercise, consultant neurosurgeon Dr Teddy Totimeh has advised.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (30 July) during discussions on brain health, Dr Totimeh said simple lifestyle choices could significantly influence how well the brain functions over a person’s lifetime.

He explained that brain health goes beyond the absence of disease and refers to the brain’s ability to function normally and support individuals in their daily lives.

“The brain is an electrical organ that controls all the actions in our bodies and it is made up of small computers that we call neurons,” he said.

According to him, the human brain contains about 800 billion neurons, which work together to control bodily functions, thoughts, emotions and behaviour.

World Brain Day, observed on July 22, was established by the World Federation of Neurology to raise awareness about factors that can improve brain health and prevent neurological conditions.

Dr Totimeh said despite accounting for only about two percent of body weight, the brain consumes about 20 percent of the body’s oxygen and energy, making it a highly sensitive organ that requires care.

He described the brain as a well-protected but often neglected organ, noting that lifestyle choices such as inadequate sleep can have long-term consequences.

“Sleep is significant in brain health because it is only during sleep that everything sort of shuts down so the brain can reset itself,” he said.

He warned that persistent sleep problems could contribute to conditions including dementia, Parkinson’s disease and difficulties with concentration later in life.

Dr Totimeh cautioned against dismissing recurring headaches as ordinary stress or lack of sleep.

He explained that while the brain itself has no pain receptors, pain can occur when pressure builds inside the skull or when the protective covering around the brain, known as the dura mater, is stretched.

“Headaches are mainly caused by pressure increasing around the brain or within the brain and causing this dura mater to stretch,” he said.

He added that some headaches may be caused by muscle tension linked to stress, but persistent headaches could indicate more serious conditions requiring medical attention.

He advised people who experience recurring headaches for more than a month to seek medical evaluation instead of relying on self-medication.

“Generally, we would say that if headaches return every time and they persist for longer than a month, it is important to stop self-medicating and to see a doctor to get imaged,” he said.

Dr Totimeh said medical imaging helps doctors determine whether headaches are caused by stress-related issues or conditions within the brain that may require specialist intervention.

The neurosurgeon said improving brain health requires both individual responsibility and broader societal action.

At the individual level, he encouraged people to develop discipline around getting enough quality sleep and incorporating exercise into their routines.

“There has always been sleep problems in all the assessment of people who end up with brain disease later in life,” he said.

He also encouraged people to monitor their physical activity using available technology, such as phones that track daily steps.

Beyond personal choices, Dr Totimeh said governments and communities must create environments that support healthier lifestyles.

He called for better housing conditions, quieter environments and measures to reduce excessive noise from traffic, meetings and other public spaces.

He also stressed the importance of creating safer spaces for physical activity, including accessible pavements, reliable public transport and better road safety measures.

“Do we have enough pavements to walk on? Do we have public transport that enables people to get stress-free routes to their work and back?” he asked.

Dr Totimeh warned that as Ghana becomes a more active society, protecting pedestrians and improving road discipline would be necessary to reduce injuries from road traffic accidents.

He urged Ghanaians to take brain health seriously, saying that protecting the brain through healthy habits today could prevent serious neurological problems in the future.