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#2450 - Tommy Wood

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Feb 6, 2026

Guest

Tommy Wood

Tommy Wood, neuroscientist and athletic performance coach and author of The Stimulated Mind, explores brain health, dementia prevention, and performance. He discusses meaningful cognitive stimulation versus constant superficial input. He covers AI use, learning new skills, exercise benefits, sleep and circadian strategies, recovery for elite athletes, and practical policy ideas for lifelong cognitive resilience.

02:16:37

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ADVICE

Use Short Workouts For Instant Focus

Try brief, intense sprints or a 20-minute walk/jog to get immediate cognitive boosts. Use short exercise before demanding cognitive tasks to increase arousal and focus.

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ANECDOTE

Working With Formula One Drivers

Tommy works with Hintsa Performance across motorsport, advising many drivers from karting to Formula One. He focuses on individualized plans and the recovery side of performance like sleep and travel management.

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ADVICE

Shift Circadian Cues To Beat Jet Lag

Do shift light, sleep, exercise and meal timing to re-align circadian rhythms pre-travel. Avoid eating at odd times while flying and use melatonin or timed caffeine where appropriate.

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Why Tommy Wrote The Stimulated Mind

00:30 • 57sec

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What Is Dementia and Its Types

01:27 • 1min

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Genetics vs. Environment in Alzheimer's

02:40 • 3min

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Use It or Lose It: Brain Atrophy Explained

Modern Overstimulation vs True Stimulation

08:30 • 55sec

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AI, Memory, and Doing the Thinking Yourself

09:25 • 2min

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Using AI as an Orthotic, Not a Crutch

11:08 • 2min

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Social Media's Attention Algorithms

12:39 • 2min

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Future-Proofing the Brain: Core Capacities

14:29 • 2min

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Learning New Skills Builds 'Headroom'

Why Failure Drives Learning

20:30 • 2min

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How Many Skills Should You Pursue?

22:13 • 3min

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Stagnation, Low Stimulation, and Cognitive Decline

25:20 • 3min

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ADHD, Purposeful Activity, and Evolution

28:02 • 4min

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Exercise as Essential Biology

Practical Policy: Schools, Cooking and Movement

41:23 • 4min

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Self-Determination Theory for Behavior Change

45:34 • 5min

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Community, Classes and Accessible Gyms

50:28 • 4min

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Immediate Cognitive Benefits of Exercise

54:08 • 2min

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Working with Formula One Drivers

56:00 • 5min

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Recovery Focus for Jet-Lagged Athletes

01:00:34 • 24sec

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Jet Lag Strategies: Light, Exercise, Meals

01:00:58 • 4min

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Supplements and Third-Party Testing

01:04:40 • 5min

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Arousal, Routine and Pre-Race Preparation

01:10:07 • 2min

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Cold Exposure, Cooling and Cognitive Tradeoffs

01:11:50 • 3min

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No One-Size Supplements: Individual Needs

01:14:27 • 7min

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Psychology in High Performance

01:21:28 • 6min

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Handling Failure: Self-Compassion Over Harshness

01:27:07 • 9min

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Tools to Regulate In-Moment Stress

01:36:19 • 11min

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Inspiration, Role Models, and Raising Standards

01:46:51 • 12min

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Book Structure and the 3S Model

01:58:50 • 7min

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Actionable Takeaways to Improve Brain Health

• Mentioned in 190 episodes

The Coddling of the American Mind

Jonathan Haidt

Greg Lukianoff

The book explores how the ideas 'what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker,' 'always trust your feelings,' and 'life is a battle between good people and evil people' have become embedded in American culture. These 'Great Untruths' contradict basic psychological principles and ancient wisdom, leading to a culture of safetyism that interferes with young people’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. The authors investigate various social trends, including fearful parenting, the decline of unsupervised play, and the impact of social media, as well as changes on college campuses and the broader context of political polarization in America.

#1417

• Mentioned in 29 episodes

the Stimulated Mind

Tommy Wood

• Mentioned in 479 episodes

The Anxious Generation

Jonathan Haidt

In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.

#60

• Mentioned in 234 episodes

Range

Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

David Epstein

In this book, David Epstein examines the success of generalists in various fields, including sports, arts, music, invention, forecasting, and science. He argues that generalists, who often find their path late and juggle multiple interests, are more creative, agile, and able to make connections that specialists cannot. Epstein uses stories and research studies to show that wide sampling and late specialization can be more valuable than early specialization, especially in complex and unpredictable environments. He also discusses the distinction between 'kind' and 'wicked' learning environments and the importance of balancing specialization with range for long-term success.

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.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751292/the-stimulated-mind-by-dr-tommy-wood/
www.thestimulatedmind.com
www.betterbrain.fitness
www.drtommywood.com

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