Matthew Walker: Explore the Sleep Scientist’s Career

Dr. Matthew Walker is a British neuroscientist and specialist in the study of slumber and the founder-director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. As a certified sleep scientist and professor of neuroscience, Matthew has conducted extensive research and studies into the impact of sleep and how it affects our physical and mental health. He is the author of the international bestseller Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (2017).

Matthew received his PhD from the Medical Research Council at Nottingham University in London in 1996, later becoming an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in 2004. He is currently a professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley in California. Matthew is a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences and has earned funding awards from institutions such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

In Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (published by Scribner), Dr. Matthew Walker explores the science of sleep and the many ways it impacts the human brain, body, and immune system. This book unpacks what human brain waves look like when we sleep, the importance of rapid eye movement sleep (also known as REM sleep), why we dream, and how dreaming affects our sleep patterns.

Matthew also sheds light on how many hours of sleep the body needs and how it handles sleep deprivation. He also investigates the many ways that human beings get shut-eye and discusses various sleep aids—such as melatonin or sleeping pills—and sleep disorders, and how mental illness or rare diseases can occur without enough sleep.

Why We Sleep landed spots on the New York Times bestsellers list and the Sunday Times bestsellers list in the UK and received the 2020 Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization.

Sleep expert Matthew Walker has brought his expertise to many media arenas, including the TED stage, BBC News, popular American morning shows, and even his own podcast. Here are some of Matt’s appearances in the media:

• CBS This Morning: Matthew made two appearances on the popular American morning show CBS This Morning in 2017 and 2018. On the show, he shed light on what the American sleep loss epidemic looks like in many groups of people, from teens to adults. He also offered some problem-solving tips for improving sleep quality.
  
• Fresh Air: Matthew brought his sleep science expertise to the popular NPR radio show Fresh Air in July of 2018. He discussed the negative effects of walking through your day after a night of insufficient sleep. Matthew appeared on NPR again in 2020 in an interview with journalist Allison Aubrey to offer some tips for getting better sleep.
• 2019 TED Talk: In 2019, Matthew took the TED stage for a talk titled “Sleep is Your Superpower.” He discusses the many ways that sleep impacts cognitive, neurochemical, and physical well-being. He also compares data about the negative effects of sleep deprivation to the positive effects of getting a consistent, healthy amount of shut-eye.
• The Matt Walker Podcast: Matthew hosted an audio series called The Matt Walker Podcast. On the show, he explores several different sleep-related topics such as the amount of sleep we get, circadian rhythms, sleep pressure, chronotypes, and how alcohol affects the resting body. This podcast further explores how sleep problems can affect human bodies and lifespans, offering insights into the effects of REM sleep and why people feel better after a good night’s sleep.

Saw some of the best darn logs of your life with a MasterClass Annual Membership and exclusive instructional videos from Dr. Matthew Walker, the author of Why We Sleep and the founder-director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Between Matthew’s tips for optimal snoozing and info on discovering your body’s ideal rhythms, you’ll be sleeping more deeply in no time.