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The Matt Walker Podcast
The Matt Walker Podcast is all about sleep, the brain, and the body. Matt is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of the book, Why We Sleep and has given a few TED talks. Matt is an awkward British nerd who adores science and the communication of science to the public.
The Matt Walker Podcast
Latest Episodes
#141 - The Daylight Mistake
Matt illuminates sunlight’s biological impact beyond Vitamin D as he reveals that our eyes contain a hidden daylight circuit wired directly to the brain. These "sky detectors" use bright outdoor light to instantly boost alertness, sharpen at...
#140 - Tired but Wired
Exploring the "tired but wired" state where exhaustion meets an overactive alerting system, Matt explains that insomnia is often a disorder of hyperarousal rather than a lack of sleep drive. Using metabolic data and brain activity, he shows ...
#139 - Waking Up
Matt explains sleep inertia - the groggy transition to wakefulness - noting that waking is a process, not a switch, and that brain regions activate at different speeds. While the core wakes fast, the prefrontal cortex, which handles judgment...
