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The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age
Boost mental sharpness today and prevent cognitive decline tomorrow, including Alzheimer’s disease, with science-backed strategies that will extend your brain’s longevity beyond what you thought was possible.
“Dr. Tommy Wood has spent years at the intersection of neuroscience and performance, helping people build more resilient bodies and more durable minds. The Stimulated Mind is a hopeful and practical guide for building and maintaining brain health at every stage of life.”—Dr. Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett, New York Times bestselling authors of Built to Move
The most important part of the body, especially as we age, is our brain. So why aren’t we taking the health of our brain as seriously as our heart and achy joints, particularly when people are struggling to focus every day, and dementia and Alzheimer’s cases continue to rise? In The Stimulated Mind, Dr. Tommy Wood, a Formula 1 sports performance coach and neuroscientist specializing in lifelong brain health, dispels the myth that the brain is doomed to decline with age. Instead, by providing the right stimulus and building more “headroom”—the amount of mental function we have available to us—we can help our brain to adapt and develop.
Dr. Wood explains that a brain that improves with age is the result not of expensive pills, far-off discoveries, or strict lifestyle “optimizations,” but rather of actions within our control—diet, sleep, physical activity, social connection, and stress tolerance. Driven by how we use our brains on a daily basis, these modifiable factors come together in his groundbreaking “3-S” model that describes what a brain needs to thrive for a Stimulation, Sleep, and Nutrient Supply.
Packed with insights and actionable science drawn from Wood’s research and experience as a physician, neuroscientist, and performance coach, The Stimulated Mind offers a path toward true cognitive longevity, ensuring that our brains perform at their best no matter what the coming years throw at us.
“Dr. Tommy Wood has spent years at the intersection of neuroscience and performance, helping people build more resilient bodies and more durable minds. The Stimulated Mind is a hopeful and practical guide for building and maintaining brain health at every stage of life.”—Dr. Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett, New York Times bestselling authors of Built to Move
The most important part of the body, especially as we age, is our brain. So why aren’t we taking the health of our brain as seriously as our heart and achy joints, particularly when people are struggling to focus every day, and dementia and Alzheimer’s cases continue to rise? In The Stimulated Mind, Dr. Tommy Wood, a Formula 1 sports performance coach and neuroscientist specializing in lifelong brain health, dispels the myth that the brain is doomed to decline with age. Instead, by providing the right stimulus and building more “headroom”—the amount of mental function we have available to us—we can help our brain to adapt and develop.
Dr. Wood explains that a brain that improves with age is the result not of expensive pills, far-off discoveries, or strict lifestyle “optimizations,” but rather of actions within our control—diet, sleep, physical activity, social connection, and stress tolerance. Driven by how we use our brains on a daily basis, these modifiable factors come together in his groundbreaking “3-S” model that describes what a brain needs to thrive for a Stimulation, Sleep, and Nutrient Supply.
Packed with insights and actionable science drawn from Wood’s research and experience as a physician, neuroscientist, and performance coach, The Stimulated Mind offers a path toward true cognitive longevity, ensuring that our brains perform at their best no matter what the coming years throw at us.
454 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
July 22, 2026
I've heard this author as a guest on some health podcasts and was intrigued enough to read this book. The first half was a bit of a slog for me. It felt long. Now the latter half felt more like the interviews I heard.
He gives practical advice, and to be completely honest, a lot of this is NOT new....exercise, eat right, learn new things, sleep, etc., but I loved his conviction and how applicable he made this. The last half felt more intriguing...more like a workshop and less like a lecture. So 3.5 stars.
He gives practical advice, and to be completely honest, a lot of this is NOT new....exercise, eat right, learn new things, sleep, etc., but I loved his conviction and how applicable he made this. The last half felt more intriguing...more like a workshop and less like a lecture. So 3.5 stars.
June 5, 2026
This book is jam-packed with ideas to keep your brain and cognition healthy. While it’s obvious the author is attempting to make info accessible to “regular people”, I will warn you that it requires a high level of sustained attention to grasp much of the material. Hence, the fact that it took me an entire month to read.
I recommend reading a small portion daily. There is a lot of valuable and encouraging information here.
I recommend reading a small portion daily. There is a lot of valuable and encouraging information here.
May 2, 2026
That was very intense. He makes a lot of good points about nutrition and exercise and stimulating the mind. I do feel that he does get a bit too granular. I feel that as with sleep sometimes too much focus makes it difficult because then you get stressed if you didn’t get a good nights sleep. I think we should all move more eat better and try to get the rest that we need.
October 11, 2026
Finally finished the book that has traveled with me to 3 countries over the past month, and I couldn't have chosen a better companion. A copy really needs to be handed out to every zillenial I know with a boomer mindset, because "oh, I'm just getting old" is lazy nonsense. The book confirms what I hoped for subconsciously - that you can remain as sharp, active, and lively as the intellectual and physical stimulation you provide yourself. I immediately knew I liked where the book was going as soon as the author mentioned Ronaldo in his 40s and how much of a good role model for aging he is, because I've always used that example myself. Sure, when it comes to our collective mental and cognitive health, we've been expected to handle an ever increasing sheer volume of information, but this is exactly where strategies can come into play. This whole nonsense about becoming useless after the age of 60 can be blamed on Sir William Osler (a lot to blame the Brits for) who declared in a valedictorian address that workers were "useless" after 60. The example of black cab drivers in London who used to have to memorize 25,000 streets and their brain scans before/after the exam is so damn captivating. I was surprised to read about how the brain parts responsible for the most complex cognitive functions are actually the least developed at birth, which speaks to maybe the zillenial boomer mindset being an artifact of society.
A key message from the book is thoughts can directly change our health and physiology. In fact, a study found that metabolism does not slow down as we get older and as we were told, it mainly slows down as we lose muscle mass. I liked reading about the self-determination theory, which states that humans need 3 basic things: autonomy (freedom to make choices, controlling behaviors, setting goals), competence (feeling capable and of mastery), and relatedness (belonging and connection to others). Definitely enjoyed the part about how a Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of dementia, and how maybe everybody needs to ship a ton of olive oil.
The book emphasizes life-long learning, which I completely agree with. Every act of conscious learning requires a willingness to suffer and injury to one's self-esteem - the reason why young children learn so easily and why older people may not. Found it amusing in the stimulate chapter that playing Super Mario is actually recommended by physicians because that's mainly all I played as a kid, what can I say, ahead of the learning curve. Also, a very interesting recent concept is allostasis: achieving stability through change. In this ever-changing world, this combination of adaptation and stability is power on its own. Another point I found truly saddening is first reading about how dementia seems to affect more women than men, but then realizing that the fact that women have been disproportionately excluded from higher-paying and more complex jobs that would provide higher levels of stimulus is probably why. Lastly, on this ever-changing world and ever-increasing distractions, losing focus can be an inevitable effect, but loved to read that focus is also a skill, and that you can build up your focus just like building strength at the gym.
A key message from the book is thoughts can directly change our health and physiology. In fact, a study found that metabolism does not slow down as we get older and as we were told, it mainly slows down as we lose muscle mass. I liked reading about the self-determination theory, which states that humans need 3 basic things: autonomy (freedom to make choices, controlling behaviors, setting goals), competence (feeling capable and of mastery), and relatedness (belonging and connection to others). Definitely enjoyed the part about how a Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of dementia, and how maybe everybody needs to ship a ton of olive oil.
The book emphasizes life-long learning, which I completely agree with. Every act of conscious learning requires a willingness to suffer and injury to one's self-esteem - the reason why young children learn so easily and why older people may not. Found it amusing in the stimulate chapter that playing Super Mario is actually recommended by physicians because that's mainly all I played as a kid, what can I say, ahead of the learning curve. Also, a very interesting recent concept is allostasis: achieving stability through change. In this ever-changing world, this combination of adaptation and stability is power on its own. Another point I found truly saddening is first reading about how dementia seems to affect more women than men, but then realizing that the fact that women have been disproportionately excluded from higher-paying and more complex jobs that would provide higher levels of stimulus is probably why. Lastly, on this ever-changing world and ever-increasing distractions, losing focus can be an inevitable effect, but loved to read that focus is also a skill, and that you can build up your focus just like building strength at the gym.
July 7, 2026
My father has Alzheimers and Dementia. It's progressed fairly fast in the last few years. My grandmother died with this disease. It's scary. I hate it so much. And I live in fear that I too will end up with dementia. I think that people who don't see the disease first hand really know what all takes place.
I was very very interested in reading The Stimulated Mind. How can I reduce my chances of having dementia?!
I think theres a lot of common sense information in here but also a lot of tips. Will any of it work? Who knows - i sure dont. I could point out things my father participated in that maybe didnt help his development of dementia.
It was a very informative read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmony for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was very very interested in reading The Stimulated Mind. How can I reduce my chances of having dementia?!
I think theres a lot of common sense information in here but also a lot of tips. Will any of it work? Who knows - i sure dont. I could point out things my father participated in that maybe didnt help his development of dementia.
It was a very informative read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmony for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 7, 2026
Although I occasionally got lost in the scientific explanations, this book offered incredible depth into how our brains, and entire bodies, are impacted by the environment around us. We have a lot of control over how we proceed and ultimately can influence our future selves. This book was a bit long and academic but packed with solid information
October 15, 2026
Good information for leading a brain healthy life. But the book is way too long with way too much “filler”. If there was a synopsis or Cliff note I think that would be a better option. I recommend looking for a podcast with the author who will no doubt drill it down to the top things we all need to do to keep our brain healthy.
September 22, 2026
Interesting
May 7, 2026
After hearing an interesting (and hopeful) DOAC podcast with Louisa Nicola, on neuroplasticity, dementia, and brain health, I went looking for a book she may have written. I found this one just published by her colleague.
Wood encourages the things we already know are good for us: sleep, stress management, and a healthy diet that’s high in omega 3’s and low in hyperprocessed foods and sugars. He reminds us that the variety of experience is critical— new challenges, new learning.
The Nicola conversation goes a bit deeper into neurobiology, adds a discussion of supplements like creatine, and looks at it through the lens of dementia in women in particular. She also takes this research very personally. In contrast, this book is thinner on the science, and probably more accessible, ringing with encouraging “do this for you” vibes.
Wood encourages the things we already know are good for us: sleep, stress management, and a healthy diet that’s high in omega 3’s and low in hyperprocessed foods and sugars. He reminds us that the variety of experience is critical— new challenges, new learning.
The Nicola conversation goes a bit deeper into neurobiology, adds a discussion of supplements like creatine, and looks at it through the lens of dementia in women in particular. She also takes this research very personally. In contrast, this book is thinner on the science, and probably more accessible, ringing with encouraging “do this for you” vibes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Clearly brain health is on our collective mind because many books on the subject have been released in the past year. The latest, "The Stimulated Mind" by Dr. Tommy Wood echoes the good news the others bring: cognitive decline—and improvement—depends on a multitude of factors, and we can improve our brain health throughout our lives, given a supportive environment and active tools. Dr. Wood proposes the idea of future-proofing your brain to improve current day-to-day cognition and guard against future states of dementia.
Dr. Wood packs in more than the average reader may want to know about how scientists study the brain and why we still don’t know very much about it. I felt that I was strengthening my brain while reading because I was learning so much new information. The first part of the book offers a layperson’s deep dive into the neuroscience, biology, and physiology of the brain, while the second part addresses the practices in different areas of our lives that strengthen our brains for today and the future. The closing chapters help readers analyze their own brain health and create a strategy for future-proofing the brain.
Dr. Wood argues that it may not be aging that causes cognitive decline but a lack of stimulating inputs, hence the book’s title "The Stimulated Mind." While the amount of things we could and should be doing for our brain health feel overwhelming at times, they are all things we should be doing for good health in general. The encouraging news is that the brain is plastic so we just have to give it the right inputs and tools to make it adapt. We want to build reserve, which is the structure and function of the brain, and resilience to the natural processes of aging, as well as the resolve to engage in activities that produce both.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmony for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
#netgalley #thestimulatedmind
Dr. Wood packs in more than the average reader may want to know about how scientists study the brain and why we still don’t know very much about it. I felt that I was strengthening my brain while reading because I was learning so much new information. The first part of the book offers a layperson’s deep dive into the neuroscience, biology, and physiology of the brain, while the second part addresses the practices in different areas of our lives that strengthen our brains for today and the future. The closing chapters help readers analyze their own brain health and create a strategy for future-proofing the brain.
Dr. Wood argues that it may not be aging that causes cognitive decline but a lack of stimulating inputs, hence the book’s title "The Stimulated Mind." While the amount of things we could and should be doing for our brain health feel overwhelming at times, they are all things we should be doing for good health in general. The encouraging news is that the brain is plastic so we just have to give it the right inputs and tools to make it adapt. We want to build reserve, which is the structure and function of the brain, and resilience to the natural processes of aging, as well as the resolve to engage in activities that produce both.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harmony for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
#netgalley #thestimulatedmind
July 3, 2026
Wordier than it needs to be, but quite pragmatic. You will take actionable things out of this book. You will almost certainly begin to think a little differently about things like complex social interactions and sensory input. For usefulness I'd give it more stars, despite some graphs that are pretty clearly made-up or "just conceptual".
My primary gripe is that while there's obviously an ideal range of stimulation for the mind, the book spends most of its time discussing how to become more stimulated and not very much on how to become less stimulated. While there's content on rest and recovery (mostly referred to as Support in the model used in the book), there's not very much on how to recognize burnout. How does one recalibrate to a healthy level of stimulation over a long timespan, after many years of carrying too much "allostatic load"? This book won't help you very much there, not nearly as much as I'd wished for, and for that reason it's getting rated lower than it might have otherwise.
Kudos for the most concise and functional description of cognitive health I've ever seen: "A healthy brain is one that performs the (cognitive) functions you want, at the time you want it to perform them."
There are also a few "holy shit" factoids hidden in here -- for instance, that having cataract surgery was found to be as protective against dementia as an additional four years of education. (I say again, holy shit!) Pursuing a wide variety of sensory inputs isn't just for hedonism.
Also, and this is brutal: "Don't tell me your priorities; show me your calendar." Yeah. That.
My primary gripe is that while there's obviously an ideal range of stimulation for the mind, the book spends most of its time discussing how to become more stimulated and not very much on how to become less stimulated. While there's content on rest and recovery (mostly referred to as Support in the model used in the book), there's not very much on how to recognize burnout. How does one recalibrate to a healthy level of stimulation over a long timespan, after many years of carrying too much "allostatic load"? This book won't help you very much there, not nearly as much as I'd wished for, and for that reason it's getting rated lower than it might have otherwise.
Kudos for the most concise and functional description of cognitive health I've ever seen: "A healthy brain is one that performs the (cognitive) functions you want, at the time you want it to perform them."
There are also a few "holy shit" factoids hidden in here -- for instance, that having cataract surgery was found to be as protective against dementia as an additional four years of education. (I say again, holy shit!) Pursuing a wide variety of sensory inputs isn't just for hedonism.
Also, and this is brutal: "Don't tell me your priorities; show me your calendar." Yeah. That.
May 30, 2026
If you have never read a book on brain health this is a comprehensive one to start with. That being said, if you have read other books on this topic (I liked Brain Food which talks about how eating and nutrients can help prevent Alzheimer’s) there isn’t a ton of new information in this book. He follows the three S framework - Stimulate, Supply, and Support. In other words - eat well, exercise / move, and sleep / recover. Unlike other books he talked more about the Stimulate part and how our we can continue to stimulate and grow our brain well into old age but that modern lifestyles tend to work against this (e.g. retirement, digital distractions, chronic stress etc). He works a lot with athletes so I appreciated those analogies and data - including spending too much time in this middle stress period instead of training our brains the way professional athletes do by keeping easy sessions easy so you can perform well on hard sessions (where as most of us get spent on the treadmill of endless emails, to-do lists, chronic stress, etc). Can skim earlier chapters and skip more to the end of future proofing for the takeaways. I should also mention that he does say even if you do everything right it might reduce dementia cases by 45% - so it’s definitely still possible to do everything right and still get a dementia. Dancing is also apparently one of the best things to do as you age :)
August 2, 2026
I picked up this 2026 book by a sports performance coach/neuroscientist because Tommy Wood sounded like he understood how brain problems really need to be addressed. It's not by the reductionist method that looks for a magic pill to cure the brain, but by addressing how well you stimulate it through life, how well you give it energy through movement, diet, sleep, and stress management. and supply it with nutrients. He doesn't specify a diet, but says we just need to make sure we get the nutrients.
I don't agree with his diet advice. He doesn't concern himself with how well nutrients absorb and that could be an issue. Nobody should beat themselves up for not eating the perfect diet, which doesn't exist and food affects people a little differently. I don't think animal-based food is necessary, but Woods seems to think so and that fiver isn't even necessary for gut health.
Mostly he gives great advice for keeping our brains healthy and I follow that advice for a healthy brain. I love his nerdiness as he shares his experiences leading to his writing the book. I just don't appreciate his casual attitude to where you get your nutrients and diet.
I don't agree with his diet advice. He doesn't concern himself with how well nutrients absorb and that could be an issue. Nobody should beat themselves up for not eating the perfect diet, which doesn't exist and food affects people a little differently. I don't think animal-based food is necessary, but Woods seems to think so and that fiver isn't even necessary for gut health.
Mostly he gives great advice for keeping our brains healthy and I follow that advice for a healthy brain. I love his nerdiness as he shares his experiences leading to his writing the book. I just don't appreciate his casual attitude to where you get your nutrients and diet.
April 20, 2026
The Stimulated Mind by Dr. Tommy Wood is incredibly thorough, encouraging, and informative. The book is filled with facts, details, and scientific data to support the necessity of every person to become educated in knowing best how to improve long term brain health. Dr. Wood challenges the reader in having a pessimistic viewpoint of declining cognition as just a "part of aging" and provides helpful tools and content in showing the reader how much one can do to improve brain health at any age. He focuses on everyday habits like sleep, exercise, nutrition, social connection, and points the reader towards HOW to stimulate your brain so that is continues to actively stay in a growth mindset.
The “3-S” framework—stimulation, sleep, and nutrient supply—gives the reader a way to easily understand and apply basic science techniques to promote realistic and sustainable changes in brain health. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent publishers for the advanced review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The “3-S” framework—stimulation, sleep, and nutrient supply—gives the reader a way to easily understand and apply basic science techniques to promote realistic and sustainable changes in brain health. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent publishers for the advanced review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
May 7, 2026
Ok wow. Dr Woods is an impressively esteemed medical doctor, professor of paediatric neuroscientist, professor, researcher, rowing coach, formula 1 performance consultant, strongman and now author... His credentials are immense. He for one is providing his brain with stimulus! His book is a tome of evidence based science about preventing dementia /slowing cognitive decline at any age - essentially stimulating, supporting and supplying the brain.
My favourite take homes were 1) the idea of building headroom to make you more resilient to inevitable ageing process or unexpected injury/illness/stress; and 2) the way to think about the range of exercise available to us (and the benefit of diversifying your exercise regime in this way); to think of it in terms of snacks, propel, resist, sprint and coordinate.
This was a tome of a book. It managed to keep me engaged throughout with it's structure, short chapters and occasional author anecdotes. For me, the final part could have been condensed down by half as I felt like I'd got the overall message by then
My favourite take homes were 1) the idea of building headroom to make you more resilient to inevitable ageing process or unexpected injury/illness/stress; and 2) the way to think about the range of exercise available to us (and the benefit of diversifying your exercise regime in this way); to think of it in terms of snacks, propel, resist, sprint and coordinate.
This was a tome of a book. It managed to keep me engaged throughout with it's structure, short chapters and occasional author anecdotes. For me, the final part could have been condensed down by half as I felt like I'd got the overall message by then
March 24, 2026
The Stimulated Mind is an accessible and encouraging guide to long-term brain health. Dr. Tommy Wood challenges the assumption that cognitive decline is inevitable, offering a more hopeful perspective grounded in everyday habits like sleep, nutrition, movement, and social connection.
The book’s strength lies in its practicality. The “3-S” framework—stimulation, sleep, and nutrient supply—gives readers a simple way to understand and apply the science. Rather than relying on extreme interventions or expensive solutions, the focus stays on sustainable, realistic changes.
At times, the claims may feel ambitious, especially around preventing complex conditions like dementia, and readers should approach those aspects with appropriate nuance. Still, this is a helpful, motivating resource for anyone looking to support their cognitive health in a grounded and proactive way.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book for review.
The book’s strength lies in its practicality. The “3-S” framework—stimulation, sleep, and nutrient supply—gives readers a simple way to understand and apply the science. Rather than relying on extreme interventions or expensive solutions, the focus stays on sustainable, realistic changes.
At times, the claims may feel ambitious, especially around preventing complex conditions like dementia, and readers should approach those aspects with appropriate nuance. Still, this is a helpful, motivating resource for anyone looking to support their cognitive health in a grounded and proactive way.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book for review.
May 9, 2026
While many of us understand the importance of exercise, sleep, nutrition, and cognitive stimulation for maintaining brain health, this book goes much deeper by explaining the science and research behind these recommendations. The author does an excellent job of breaking down complex topics into language that is easy for non-experts to understand, while still providing meaningful depth and insight.
The book is well organized, engaging, and full of practical information for anyone interested in preventing or delaying cognitive decline. I had already gained a great deal of respect for the author’s expertise through his brain health podcast, and this book only reinforced that impression. I’m glad he was able to bring that knowledge and experience together in such an accessible and informative read.
The book is well organized, engaging, and full of practical information for anyone interested in preventing or delaying cognitive decline. I had already gained a great deal of respect for the author’s expertise through his brain health podcast, and this book only reinforced that impression. I’m glad he was able to bring that knowledge and experience together in such an accessible and informative read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I learned SO MUCH about the brain from this book and how to better take care of it now and in the future. It explains how so many things can positively (or negatively) affect brain health like exercise, stress, substances, socialization, and more. I thought our brains decline with age but this taught me how wrong I was. It turns out that if you take good care of your brain it’ll take care of you for a very long time. The advice is practical and everything was laid out so easy to understand. I feel so motivated now to put into place what I’ve learned and keep doing it for the rest of my life. This is an encouraging must read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 3, 2026
I personally found this book both encouraging and helpful, but I can't avoid commenting on the immense privilege reflected in it, and in a person's ability to implement these strategies. Particularly in the section on work, it was clear what a narrow slice of the population many of these strategies address - people of comfortable circumstances, with the luxury of time and money to spend on self improvement, knowledge workers with desk jobs and lots of autonomy, etc. Being so fortunate as to fall into some of those categories, I found many suggestions I can implement right away, and the message that any improvements help and are better than doing nothing resonated. But it's so frustrating that so many of these things are inaccessible for so many.
August 12, 2026
The Stimulated Mind offers an engaging and hopeful look at how our brains change throughout life and what we can do to support them along the way. Dr. Tommy Wood makes complex neuroscience approachable, exploring neuroplasticity, cognitive resilience, and the powerful role that movement, nutrition, sleep, learning, social connection, and our environment can play in brain health. What stands out is the practical focus on building cognitive strength now while thinking about the health of our brains decades into the future. Informative, accessible, and empowering, this is a valuable read for anyone interested in staying mentally sharp and understanding just how adaptable the brain can be.
October 29, 2026
A useful book about keeping the brain capable as we age, with one idea I especially liked: headroom, building more cognitive capacity than we currently need so ageing has more reserve to take from.
I also liked the idea that the brain maintains what we continue to demand from it, which makes difficult learning, mistakes, exercise, social connection and sleep part of the same system.
It made me want to keep being a beginner at things like languages, AI and motorcycle riding, and to experiment more with sprinting and perhaps even VR.
Unfortunately, the book is unnecessarily long and repetitive. There is a very good, much shorter book hidden inside it.
I also liked the idea that the brain maintains what we continue to demand from it, which makes difficult learning, mistakes, exercise, social connection and sleep part of the same system.
It made me want to keep being a beginner at things like languages, AI and motorcycle riding, and to experiment more with sprinting and perhaps even VR.
Unfortunately, the book is unnecessarily long and repetitive. There is a very good, much shorter book hidden inside it.
August 18, 2026
Listened to this one with hubby 🎧
This was just a great amalgamation of of the health info we already know, but really showed the connection between cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and brain 🧠 health.
Besides focusing on exercise, sleep, nutrition, I am putting extra thought into both brain stimulation (was inspired to start piano lessons and a writing practice) and brain relaxation - how can I give it time to recover.
Really informative book - I’d recommend it for anyone interested in longevity science! 🧬
This was just a great amalgamation of of the health info we already know, but really showed the connection between cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and brain 🧠 health.
Besides focusing on exercise, sleep, nutrition, I am putting extra thought into both brain stimulation (was inspired to start piano lessons and a writing practice) and brain relaxation - how can I give it time to recover.
Really informative book - I’d recommend it for anyone interested in longevity science! 🧬
October 12, 2026
I went into this book expecting a re-hashing of things I have already heard over and over again. Exercise, eat right, engage your mind. I am still interested in human performance and longevity so I read the book anyway. This book has so much more, while it does cover these subjects, it goes over so much more information and really provides a comprehensive guide to future-proofing your brain. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because, as the author admits, most of these things are not new concepts, but providing studies to back them up.
September 14, 2026
The Stimulated Mind is packed with so much information, it can feel overwhelming. I focused in on Part Two, specifically the chapters - nourish, move, adapt. I plan to make some adjustments to my diet and exercise routine, following Wood's suggestions. It would be silly to make my way through this book and not take action.
I became aware of Wood's work by listening to his interview on the Huberman Lab Report. That interview is a great introduction to future-proofing your brain.
I became aware of Wood's work by listening to his interview on the Huberman Lab Report. That interview is a great introduction to future-proofing your brain.
April 19, 2026
Good book. Sound advice. Interesting studies but at the end of the day, I am not quite sure what I learned. A lot of confirming information that, at the end of the day, say we should sleep more, eat well and exercise. I recommend but if you have already consumed modern wellness material, this isn’t a must.
August 19, 2026
A good introduction for readers who are relatively new to health and longevity, but I found most of the recommendations very familiar: exercise, good nutrition, sleep, social connection, and other habits that are already widely discussed in this space.
There were a few interesting insights, but overall I felt the book was longer than it needed to be and quite repetitive at times.
There were a few interesting insights, but overall I felt the book was longer than it needed to be and quite repetitive at times.
Read
August 21, 2026I really appreciate the author for making this important topic more accessible for non-medical people. Really learned a lot and got a good book recommendation. Anyone can play music. Will never forget the snake story. Also his acknowledgment to his wife was really cute and sweet and so beautiful. Yes I read acknowledgments
June 23, 2026
This book is wonderfully formatted. I listened to the audiobook version and it was one of my favorites to listen to whenever I would go on a walk or a drive. Teaches you so much while also boiling it down to simple life principles.
August 20, 2026
Fascinating read and heartening to see how much we can do to protect our brains from the worst ravages of ageing. However, my main takeaway from the book was that you cannot look at the brain in isolation from the rest of body. Looking after the body will impact the brain and vice versa.
October 11, 2026
This work provides great pragmatic advice to combat an aging mind with or without dementia. The advice is based on hearty research and analysis. If you follow the advice, even at the basic levels, you will likeky be giving yourself a great gift - a sharper mind.
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