Tommy Wood

Who is Tommy Wood?

Tommy Wood, PhD, is a neuroscientist and athletic performance coach. He is a host of the “Better Brain Fitness” podcast and author of “The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age,” which will be released March 24 and is available for preorder now.

TLDR — Key Topics and Moments

• 01Tommy Wood discusses how cognitive stimulation and novelty are critical for maintaining brain health and preventing dementia as we age
• 02The brain's default mode network and its role in self-referential thinking, which can become problematic when overactive
• 03Why traditional exercise alone isn't enough - the brain needs varied, challenging mental stimulation across multiple domains
• 04How neuroplasticity remains possible throughout life, but requires consistent engagement with novel and complex tasks
• 05The connection between physical health markers and cognitive decline, and why screening matters early
• 06Practical strategies for keeping your brain sharp including learning new skills, social engagement, and varied physical training

The Show

Joe sits down with neuroscientist and athletic performance coach Tommy Wood to dive deep into brain health, neuroplasticity, and how to future-proof your cognitive function. Tommy's new book, The Stimulated Mind, tackles the hard science of dementia prevention and maintaining mental sharpness at any age, which is dropping March 24th.

The conversation centers on a counterintuitive truth that most people miss: your brain doesn't stay sharp just by aging gracefully or doing crossword puzzles. You need actual cognitive challenge, novelty, and stimulation. Tommy breaks down how the brain's default mode network works, explaining that constant self-referential thinking and rumination can actually be detrimental to long-term brain health. The key is getting your brain into states where it's fully engaged with novel, complex problems.

Tommy emphasizes that physical exercise is important, but it's not a complete solution on its own. You need varied training stimuli, not just doing the same workout over and over. The same principle applies to your mind. Doing the same cognitive tasks repeatedly loses its protective benefit pretty quickly. Your brain adapts and then stops being challenged. This is why learning new skills, taking up new hobbies, and engaging in novel experiences becomes increasingly important as you get older.

The discussion touches on how neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to rewire itself, doesn't disappear with age. You can still build new neural connections and strengthen cognitive reserves well into your 70s and beyond. But it requires intentional effort. Tommy walks through how different types of cognitive training impact different neural systems and why you need a multi-domain approach rather than focusing on just one thing.

They also explore the physiological markers that predict cognitive decline, and why catching these early matters. Blood pressure regulation, metabolic health, cardiovascular fitness, and sleep quality all feed into brain function. Tommy explains how these systems interconnect and why someone who seems physically healthy might still be at risk for cognitive problems if they're ignoring other factors.

The practical takeaway is clear: keeping your brain sharp requires treating it like you'd treat any other high-performance system. You need variety, challenge, adequate recovery, social engagement, and attention to baseline health markers. It's not complicated in theory, but in practice most people neglect their cognitive health until there's already a problem.

Key Moments

Best Quotes

Products and Books Mentioned

Everything brought up in this episode — linked to Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.