#153- Sleeping in an MRI Machine
Today’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 c...
28 Sep 24min
#152 - The Brain on Music
Exploring 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 gr...
21 Sep 27min
#151 - The Geography of Sleep
Matt 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 artificia...
14 Sep 23min
#150 - The Neuroscience of Déjà Vu
Matt 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, Mat...
7 Sep 31min
The Night Ferryman: A Sleep Story Read by Matt Walker
Join 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...
31 Aug 35min
#149 - The 11 largest Sleep Myths
Debunking 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 d...
24 Aug 27min
#148 - Psychedelics for Mental Health
Matt 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-seate...
17 Aug 32min
#147 - Does Sleep Really Clean Your Brain?
Matt 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. Thi...
10 Aug 25min
