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Health & Fitness
The Matt Walker Podcast
by Dr. Matt Walker
Today: #95 in Health & Fitness, Philippines on our combined chart.
Today: #150 in Health & Fitness, South Africa on our combined chart.
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Ranking history · United States
No ranking history for this show in United States over the last 14 days.
Latest episodes
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#157 - Sleep Walking and Talking
October 26, 2026 · 28 minMatt examines the world of parasomnias this week, focusing on sleepwalking and sleep talking. Dispelling the myth that sleep is a simple on/off switch, he explains how these behaviors reveal a brain that is simultaneously awake and asleep…
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#156 - Smell and Memory
October 19, 2026 · 29 minExamining the "Proust phenomenon," Matt reveals how smell acts as a direct portal to our past. Unlike sight or hearing, olfaction bypasses the brain's typical sensory relay and connects directly to memory centers like the hippocampus. This…
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#155 - Sleep & Nature's Call
October 12, 2026 · 28 minMatt explores nocturia, the clinical condition of waking at night to urinate, challenging the assumption that the bladder is solely at fault. Using a measuring jug to illustrate bladder capacity, Matt explains that the bladder is usually…
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#154 - Sleep and Cortisol
October 5, 2026 · 29 minDelving into the science of cortisol, Matt debunks its social media reputation as a toxic villain. He explains how this essential hormone actually regulates metabolism, immunity, and survival. He also unpacks the healthy "Cortisol…
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#153- Sleeping in an MRI Machine
September 28, 2026 · 25 minToday’s episode explores how scientists study the sleeping brain inside a roaring, 111-decibel MRI scanner. Despite the extreme noise and discomfort, researchers use sleep deprivation, earplugs, and clever audio-filtering tricks to capture…
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#152 - The Brain on Music
September 21, 2026 · 28 minExploring the profound link between the brain and music, Matt begins by tracing musical expression back 40,000 years to a vulture bone flute, arguing that music evolved as a "social glue" to foster group bonding. He explains the…
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#151 - The Geography of Sleep
September 14, 2026 · 24 minMatt breaks down the conflict between wall clocks and our biological rhythms, explaining how latitude and longitude dictate our rest. Latitude alters seasonal daylight and melatonin - though artificial light mutes this natural cycle - and…
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#150 - The Neuroscience of Déjà Vu
September 7, 2026 · 32 minMatt digs into the neuroscience of déjà vu, reframing it as a sign of a healthy brain performing real-time error correction. Using a "doorman" (familiarity) vs. "concierge" (recollection) analogy, Matt explains how memory systems misfire…
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The Night Ferryman: A Sleep Story Read by Matt Walker
August 31, 2026 · 35 minJoin Matt for a serene excursion across a valley lake under the cover of night. After finding a comfortable position and centering your breath, you will step onto the deck of a weathered ferry. Marcus, the pilot, unties the lines, steering…
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#149 - The 11 largest Sleep Myths
August 24, 2026 · 27 minDebunking 11 sleep myths, Matt begins by explaining that the brain remains active, not "off," during rest. He goes on to argue that 7-9 hours of sleep is vital and warns that "adapting" to less is a delusion that masks performance deficits…
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#148 - Psychedelics for Mental Health
August 17, 2026 · 32 minMatt delves into how psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD quiet the "Default Mode Network" to boost neuroplasticity. He describes these molecules as a "crowbar" that allows therapy to break deep-seated patterns of depression and reorganize…
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#147 - Does Sleep Really Clean Your Brain?
August 10, 2026 · 25 minMatt explores the brain's secret plumbing, a waste-clearance network once ignored for over a century. He explains how the glymphatic system flushes metabolic toxins like amyloid-beta during sleep. This "night shift" allows fluid to cleanse…
About the show
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.