# The Real Reason Your Brain Is Shrinking with Dr. Tommy Wood - E79

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/home-of-healthspan-7069559/the-real-reason-your-brain-is-shrinking-with-dr-tommy-wood-e79
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/home-of-healthspan-7069559/the-real-reason-your-brain-is-shrinking-with-dr-tommy-wood-e79.md
Podcast: [Home of Healthspan](https://stenobird.com/podcast/home-of-healthspan-7069559)
Published: 2025-12-29T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://zencastr.com/z/sOtphQV3
Audio file: https://redirect.zencastr.com/r/episode/69456ff88820c350e60e5ba3/size/72001197/audio-files/65c0df5c2662b52ae2ab1737/919fe780-ac10-4cee-899c-052e9f142a8a.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/home-of-healthspan-7069559/episodes/the-real-reason-your-brain-is-shrinking-with-dr-tommy-wood-e79
Duration seconds: 3000

## Resource

Most people never realize their brain is shrinking - until memory slips or mental sluggishness forces them to take notice. The real reason behind this decline isn't just age or bad luck, but an energy crisis inside the brain that starts quietly and builds over time. Even highly motivated, health-focused people can miss the hidden lifestyle mistakes and overlooked daily choices that undermine their cognitive reserve. This episode takes you beneath the surface to uncover why energy status matters most for long-term brain health, what actually speeds up brain shrinkage, and the practical steps to reverse course. You'll get straight answers and usable strategies from a top brain health expert who turns science into powerful habits for everyday life. Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist and self-confessed professional nerd. As Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington School of Medicine, his laboratory focuses on brain health across the lifespan. He also works as a performance consultant to professional athletes including several Olympians, Formula 1 drivers and world champions, has helped found the British Society for Lifestyle Medicine, and is the author of the forthcoming book, 'The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age'. "You don't get stronger in the gym, you get stronger when you're recovering afterwards. And the brain is essentially the same and sleep is obviously the time when that happens." - Dr. Tommy Wood In this episode you will learn: * Why the biggest driver of lower brain reserve is energy status, and how this links to long term brain health. * How Dr. Wood moved from a focus on physical health to research in brain health for athletes and the public. * The 3S model for brain hea…

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## Transcript

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