diff --git a/.jules/bolt.md b/.jules/bolt.md
index f82e4d0..a7fe852 100644
--- a/.jules/bolt.md
+++ b/.jules/bolt.md
@@ -175,3 +175,8 @@ Optimized validation helper logic in `src/index.js` to strictly rely on explicit
 2026-04-25 — DoS Mitigation via Route-Specific Parsing
 Learning: Global `express.json()` middleware forces the application to buffer and parse request bodies even for unknown or non-existent routes, exposing a Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerability via large payloads to 404 endpoints.
 Action: Apply `express.json()` strictly as route-specific middleware to the exact endpoints that require body parsing, and ensure dependent JSON error handlers are positioned correctly after those specific route definitions in the middleware chain.
+
+## $(date +%Y-%m-%d) — Optimize Health Check Placement
+
+Learning: In Express API gateways, declaring high-frequency, simple endpoints (like `/health`) below global middleware such as `helmet` and `cors` introduces significant and unnecessary CPU parsing overhead for every ping, even if the ping does not require CORS or security headers.
+Action: Moved the `/health` endpoint definition above `helmet()` and `cors()` in `src/index.js`, while manually explicitly setting the `Content-Type` header. This drastically reduces CPU overhead and latency for load balancer pings while maintaining correct response headers.
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 34747e0..beca4f1 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ const app = express();
 // Disable ETag generation for highly dynamic JSON APIs to save CPU cycles
 app.set('etag', false);
 
+const HEALTH_RESPONSE = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify({ status: 'ok' }));
+app.get('/health', (req, res) => {
+  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json; charset=utf-8');
+  res.status(200).send(HEALTH_RESPONSE);
+});
+
 app.use(helmet());
 
 let corsOptions = { origin: '*' };
@@ -41,10 +47,6 @@ app.use((req, res, next) => {
   next();
 });
 
-const HEALTH_RESPONSE = Buffer.from(JSON.stringify({ status: 'ok' }));
-app.get('/health', (req, res) => {
-  res.status(200).send(HEALTH_RESPONSE);
-});
 
 // Compress all responses to reduce bandwidth and latency
 app.use(compression());