12 Weeks to a Sharper You - A Practical Guide: Build a Better Brain At Any Age

by Sanjay Gupta

12 Weeks to a Sharper You - A Practical Build a Better Brain At Any Age

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Adult, Personal Development, Audiobook, Science

300 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database
Sanjay Gupta is an American physician and a contributing CNN chief health correspondent based in Atlanta, Georgia. An assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, he is also a frequent guest on the news program Anderson Cooper 360°. "Charity Hospital" won a 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast. From 1997 to 1998, he served as one of fifteen White House Fellows, primarily as an advisor to Hillary Clinton. Gupta currently publishes a column in TIME magazine. He is also host of House Call with Dr Sanjay Gupta. His book Chasing Life was a New York Times and National bestseller. As of January 2009, he has been offered the position of Surgeon General of the United States in the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama; the final vetting is currently under way.

Reviews

[Hedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very practical book, however, I felt like the entire mindset of the author was to write this book for elderly group of age, with the aim to prevent Alzheimer. Whereas there were a lot more than that!

[Kevin Monsour · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a "self-help" book reader. So I don't really care about the 12 weeks part, ironically. But Dr. Gupta's scientific explanations and sharing of the medical research results that lead him to his conclusions is informative and helpful. I'm definitely taking his overall message to heart for improving and maximizing brain health.

[Trace Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of good advice for living a healthy life... much not specifically focused on the brain, but rather a better lifestyle, routine, diet, and activity for overall longevity. Good if you have not had the guidance in this area through other sources - ie you are new to this approach. But if you have been down this path already and are living a "healthy" life, this might seem a bit too surface/fundamental. Still - important to digest.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a lot new here for most & you’ll find some conflicting nutritional advice in other readings on healthy living & longevity, however overall this is a good overview and roadmap for those looking to live a healthy and longer life. Author focuses on concrete steps (a roadmap) we can all take to fend off cognitive decline as we ate.

[Yodahe Getachew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book that puts your the idea of keeping your brain healthy into a great perspective. If you want to change your life for the better you don’t have to be this jacked or super fit person. A healthy person is someone with a healthy brain and this book gives you simple steps to get you to become a sharper ;D better version of you.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any self-help/diet/exercise/well-being book has to get lucky with its reader: the reader has to need just this book at just the time they're reading it. But this is a good programme, IMO. I'm about to start week 4 and I'm feeling really happy about it.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good reminders of good habits.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In November 2019, as part of the San Jose Speaker Series, my husband and I heard Dr. Sanjay Gupta speak. I was energized by what he had to say and fascinated by his stories, both journalism tales and his surgeon stories. When I saw he had published Keep Sharp, I made a mental note to purchase it and read it…and then did neither until January 2025. Why did I wait?!

This journal workbook is a much-condensed version of his original book Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age. Many of the suggestions within that thicker tome are present here. But what the reader loses by only reading/using the workbook is the deeper dive into research. I found the in-depth look fascinating and highly recommend readers use both books at the same time or the use the journal and do the 12-week program after reading Keep Sharp.

Please Note: I completed the 12 week program in a much longer time frame. We had a huge trip that took us out of the country for a month as well as a few small ones. The nice thing about the workbook is that it is portable and, technically, you could continue the program wherever you may be. I decided, instead, to save new lessons for when we were at home and continued practicing the ones I’d already completed. Do what works for you. As with any self-help book, you get out what you put in.

I liked this book so much—and found the tips so easy to begin implementing—that, after I completed week two, I purchased a copy for a family member who is interested in brain health. I will shout from the rooftop about how awesome this book was! It, and its companion Keep Sharp, get ALL THE STARS!

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading this (on and off) for the past several months; it has been the “self help” book I’ve picked up when I’m between reads. It is hard for me to accurately rate this because it is meant to be a twelve week interactive course, and instead I treated it like any other nonfiction read (oops).
Sanjay Gupta is so knowledgeable about the brain and he makes this book — which could easily become hyper technical and scientific — comprehensible and engaging!! I have been a fan for a while! I would totally consider reading Keep Sharp, his other book (I actually meant to pick that one up in the first place, but accidentally got this one). I did enjoy 12 Weeks to a Sharper You, even though it wasn’t what I meant to get.
The only negative was the focus on mortality. I get that it’s kind of necessary for this type of book, but it made me feel a very deep-seated and unsettling sadness. I do not enjoy fixating on everything I’m doing wrong in terms of stress management and sleep and whatnot. I do not enjoy rehashing family history/illnesses/death. Again, kind of necessary for a book like this that is actively trying to help you fix bad habits and become aware of genetic predispositions, but the suggestions just felt a little unattainable to me. It felt like there was a lot of bleakness without there being realistic solutions that I could implement in my routine. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️
Overall, this was educational and a good read. I think understanding cognitive health at all ages is important, and I liked that he discussed this across different stages of life. Would recommend with the brief warning that it is a bit of a heavy read!

[Caye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading and reflecting on this book little by little. While the advice wasn’t entirely new, it served as a valuable reminder to keep striving for a healthy lifestyle, which, in turn, positively impacts mental health. The author covered key topics such as nutrition, movement, stress management, relaxation, sleep, lifelong learning, and social connections. He also provided helpful websites and examples for further exploration.

I particularly appreciated the self-reflection sections in the second part of the book. Assessing my current routines was helpful, as it allowed me to identify areas for improvement and take steps to maintain consistency moving forward.

We all aspire to be healthy, but in our busy, fast-paced lives, it’s easy to let things slip. I believe that regularly reviewing and pursuing steps to maintain health and build both physical and mental resilience is always worthwhile.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished listening to this book probably a month ago and didn't really keep good notes. It is probably a book I will return to in the future as I think he gave some valuable information about how to embrace the aging process. I realize those of us in our 70s are entering a new stage in our lives for which we have very few role models. I'm gathering all the information I can to make this last phase of my life the best it can be!

[Abinash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first listened to this book while on a plane, and later got the book to read it.

A practical and insightful guide to boosting brain health, Dr. Gupta’s 12-week program covers diet, exercise, sleep, and mental fitness. The book provides actionable steps to enhance cognitive function and encourages planning for the future. A great read for anyone looking to sharpen their mind and improve overall well-being!

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy, I hope this works. I find myself struggling to recall names, places, theories, etc. I knew that Prevagen was a hoax. So was delighted when my husband sent me a NYT article discussing things we can do to support brain growth and halt cognitive decline. It was an easy read, clear, to the point, with amusing anecdote. I start my 12 weeks next week.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this on the recommendation of my 95 yr old mother. The author writes with conviction and is concise with his choice of wording. This book left me feeling grateful for a healthy childhood and a professional career emphasizing healthy lifestyle choices. Hopefully, this will support my brain health as I age and give me options when renewing my daily routines.

[becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far this book needs an editor. Saying the same obvious things repeatedly about how to improve health is giving me dementia in terms of boredom. Ok only at the introduction but enough already. Has been 30 minutes of pep talk.

[Carol Rhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it's supposed to be a 12-week journey. I was reminded, affirmed, nudged and inspired by what I am already doing correctly for brain health. Yeah me! I need to work on trying new things/taking non-risky scary things. A Must read regardless of your age.

[Devrim Arpaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book touches every aspect of aging well. Simple actions to take for a better brain and body.

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

[Nancy Higgs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas. I think I will take language lessons- maybe German, maybe Spanish. I will pick this one up again and read it!

[Molly Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good advice, compiled in a cohesive way.

[Marlene Topping · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done guide to healthy living. Didn’t learn a thing so nothing new if you’re on top of things.

[Angie Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of common sense.

[Angie (Vampires and Tofu) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great book for those who have never considered that eating healthy, exercising,and getting enough sleep might be beneficial.

[Bejohnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas, all of them doable. As a workbook, it can make you committed

[Amanda Wilcox-loosle · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10

Nothing real noteworthy in here except that intermittent fasting has been shown to benefit the brain
There is a pretty helpful quiz too. Workout, eat healthy, and read books

[Soheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useless to get this book on kindle because you can't use the forms and notes to fill in. I just glanced through and tried to remember what I should be doing outside my kindle scope.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read his book and guide. Good refresher. Talks a lot about new research for Alzheimers.