Summer Highlights: Build a More Resilient Brain with Dr. Tommy Wood

<p>How do we build a brain that can stay resilient as we age?</p><p></p><p>In this summer highlight, Dr. Annie Fenn revisits her conversation with Dr. Tommy Wood, author of <i>The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age</i>.</p><p></p><p>Tommy explains the idea of cognitive headroom: building more brain reserve and resilience now so we have a greater buffer against aging, stress, and disease later. He also shares why even brief “exercise snacks” can benefit the brain, especially when they break up long periods of sitting.</p><p></p><p>Finally, Annie and Tommy explore why many everyday memory lapses may begin with attention. Constant task-switching, scrolling, and information overload can make it harder for the brain to encode what we are trying to remember.</p><p></p><p>You’ll learn how small, practical choices—moving more often, taking real breaks, focusing on one thing at a time, and continuing to challenge the brain—can support cognitive health at any age.</p><p><b>Chapters</b></p><p>00:00 Introducing Summer Highlights<br />03:38 Building cognitive headroom<br />09:39 Exercise snacks and sedentary time<br />15:51 Memory, attention, and overstimulation<br />22:15 Three takeaways to use now</p><p></p><p><b>Links Mentioned</b></p><p>Dr. Tommy Wood<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.drtommywood.com/" target="_blank">https://www.drtommywood.com/</a></p><p><i>The Stimulated Mind<br /></i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751292/the-stimulated-mind-by-dr-tommy-wood/" target="_blank">https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751292/the-stimulated-mind-by-dr-tommy-wood/</a></p><p>Better Brain Fitness Substack<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://hdrmdocs.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://hdrmdocs.substack.com/</a></p><p>Full Brain Health Kitchen episode with Dr. Tommy Wood<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-build-a-brain-that-lasts-the-science/id1869700282?i=1000757728384" target="_blank">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-build-a-brain-that-lasts-the-science/id1869700282?i=1000757728384</a></p><p>Brain Health Kitchen Substack<br /><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/" target="_blank">https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/</a></p><p></p><p>Thank you to our founding sponsors, NeuroReserve and BetterBrain, f