Introduction to Brain Recharge Stations
As you step into the room, a gentle hush envelopes, immediately setting a tranquil tone. A lakeside blueish light surrounds you, like a peaceful nursery for a baby boy. The warm glow of ambient light casts gentle shadows. The harmonious blend of nature and light invites students to leave the digital world, offering a space where their minds can wander and recharge.
The air is infused with a subtle, earthy aroma, grounding in the present moment. Inside the room, time seems to slow, allowing you to breathe deeply and feel the weight of stress melt away.
Eileen Hoedebeck, of Dallas, looks around a brain recharge station at the Eugene McDermott Library at the University of Texas at Dallas on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.(Liz Rymarev / Staff Photographer)
BrainHealth Week
The room — a brain recharging station — was unveiled Feb. 24 as part of the third annual BrainHealth Week. The events are a bid to enhance understanding and promote practices for better brain health across the North Texas community.
Breaking News
At the unveiling, experts discussed how different colors and lighting conditions can influence mood and cognitive function, offering practical advice for optimizing home and workspaces.
Design and Features
Debra Beck (left), principal at Perkins&Will, and Laura Bloom Gordon (center), chief marketing officer at the Center for BrainHealth, sit in a chair in a brain recharge station at the Eugene McDermott Library at the University of Texas at Dallas on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.(Liz Rymarev / Staff Photographer)
This year, the event took place on the UTD campus for the first time, offering a range of activities and discussions centered around the brain’s potential to improve throughout life.
A key feature of the event was the unveiling of the one-of-a-kind recharge station room on the first floor of the library.
Dr. Adam Woods, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, speaks at the unveiling of a brain recharge station at the Eugene McDermott Library at UTD on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.(Liz Rymarev / Staff Photographer)
Importance of Brain Health
Dr. Adam Woods, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, highlighted the importance of brain health.
“For the longest time, brain health has taken a back seat,” he said. “We’ve thought about physical health, but on the flip side, brain health has not had the same level of focus.”
The funding for the recharging station came from Perkins&Will architecture firm, which is also involved in building the new student center at UTD, incorporating brain-healthy concepts in the design.
“Light does play an important role in how your circadian rhythm is. There’s lots of studies that talk about extra exposure to light an hour before you go to sleep actually disturbs your sleep patterns. … We have so many modern technologies that we forget there is nature right outside of us,” said Vand
