Professor Barbara Sahakian, Fellow of Clare Hall, and Dr Christelle Langley, Clare Hall Affiliated Postdoctoral Researcher, have launched their new book titled Brain Boost: Healthy Habits for a Happier Life. The book provides practical tips, backed by scientific evidence, on implementing lifestyle strategies to improve brain health, cognition, and overall wellbeing.

A well-attended launch event was held on 4 February 2025 in the historic St Michael’s church, with speeches by Professor Patrick Maxwell, Regius Professor of Physic and Head of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Publisher Anna Whiting, and University of Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice.

The Press has identified a real need for informed, expert-driven books about health and wellbeing. When Professor Sahakian approached me with the idea of Brain Boost, I knew from the start that this book has the potential to be meaningful at a societal level.

Notably, Professor Sahakian and Dr Langley spent a lot of time road-testing the material that they wished to include in the book; engaging with members of the public, seeing which questions people asked, and recalibrating their focus for Brain Boost accordingly. So it’s an extremely considered, thoughtful book, truly designed to meet readers’ needs and answer their questions. It also has a distinctively positive message, seeking to equip readers with the skills and knowledge they need to improve their lives.

-Cambridge Publisher Anna Whiting, speaking during the Brain Boost launch

Professor Sahakian and Dr Langley have been interviewed by various international news outlets leading up to the launch, including The Telegraph, The Times, The Huffington Post, The New York Post, The Conversation, and Good Housekeeping.

“All of us might experience difficult times of stress, or times when things in our lives go wrong. So understanding what we can do to help ourselves and make the most of our lives really interests me, and I want to share our research into these questions with other people as well.”

-Dr Langley, in an interview with the Cambridge University Press

Our warmest congratulations to Professor Sahakian and Dr Langley on their book. Read more about the launch on the Cambridge University Press website.