You've Been Getting Dumber Every Day Since You Turned 30

Dave Asprey

Apr 23, 2026

Episode description

Your brain is aging faster than it should, and most of the decline is self-inflicted. Neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood reveals the exact mechanisms driving cognitive decay, and the biohacking strategies backed by hard science that can stop it, reverse it, and future-proof your brain at any age. 



-Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR 



Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Tommy Wood, one of the most credentialed minds working at the intersection of brain optimization, human performance, and longevity. Dr. Wood holds a medical degree from the University of Oxford, a PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the University of Oslo, and serves as Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has published over 100 scientific papers, consulted with Olympians and world champions across more than a dozen sports, and worked directly with Formula 1 drivers to sustain elite focus and reaction time at 200 miles per hour. His forthcoming book, The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age, is the culmination of decades of research and real-world application. 



Together, Dave and Dr. Wood dismantle the myth that cognitive decline is inevitable, exposing how societal expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies and how the tools of biohacking, including sleep optimization, neuroplasticity training, nootropics, supplements, and strategic exercise, can dramatically shift your brain's long-term trajectory. They dig into the 3S Model of brain health (Stimulus, Supply, Support), the Yerkes-Dodson arousal curve and what it means for focus and flow states, and the surprising truth about AI, boredom, and what actually happens to your brain when you let ChatGPT do your thinking for you. 



This episode is essential listening for anyone serious about anti-aging, brain optimization, functional medicine, metabolism, human performance, and getting smarter without working harder. 



You'll Learn: 

  • Why cognitive decline is largely a self-fulfilling prophecy driven by expectation, not biology 

  • How the 3S Model (Stimulus, Supply, Support) determines your brain's long-term health and resilience 

  • What Formula 1 drivers teach us about arousal, flow states, and peak cognitive performance 

  • Why high-intensity interval training produces dramatically greater neuroplasticity benefits than Zone 2 cardio alone 

  • How creatine, nicotine, nootropics, and other supplements actually affect the aging brain 

  • The real data on alcohol, dementia risk, and what "occasional drinking" actually means scientifically 

  • How to use AI tools like ChatGPT in a way that builds brain function instead of destroying it 

  • Why boredom is a neurologica

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Prioritize high-intensity interval training for brain health

High-intensity interval training provides greater improvements in hippocampal structure and function than lower-intensity jogging, likely due to lactate signaling.

Implement 3S model: stimulate, supply, and support brain health

A simple model for brain health involves a cycle of Stimulus (learning new skills), Supply (nutrients and blood flow), and Support (sleep and recovery).

Expand cognitive headroom to enhance resilience during stress

The goal is to build 'headroom,' or maximum cognitive capacity, so that when stress or illness hits, you have enough reserve to maintain function.

Challenge age-related decline by maintaining brain function

The societal expectation that we lose function with age becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because we stop doing the things that maintain our brains.

Limit alcohol intake to under half a standard drink daily for brain health

Averaging less than half a standard US drink per day appears to have no net negative effect on brain volume or long-term dementia risk.

Enhance brain's white matter with resistance training near failure

Lifting weights improves the brain's white matter, which is critical for processing speed, and this benefit is achieved as long as you train close to muscular failure.

Engage mentally before using ChatGPT to prevent cognitive decline

To avoid cognitive decline from AI, you must do the mental work first and then use tools like ChatGPT conversationally to ask what you're missing or how to improve.

Utilize creatine to enhance cognitive function in aging and depression

Creatine is one of the few supplements highly recommended for the brain, showing benefits for older individuals, those with depression, and in early Alzheimer's.

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© Mindsip 2025 – Made with ❤ in Vilnius