This week’s episode is the first in a new multi-part series all about dreams! Today, Matt focuses on the question of how your brain generates these things called dreams. Matt starts with an unexpected statement: last night, when you were dreaming, you became psychotic. 5 things happen when you dream that justify his diagnosis: 1) you see things that aren’t ... Show More
Oct 5
#154 - Sleep and Cortisol
Delving 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 Awakening Response" that prepares us for the day ... Show More
28m 40s
Sep 28
#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 clever audio-filtering tricks to capture the mind drifting off. These small but g ... Show More
24m 39s
Sep 21
#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 group bonding. He explains the neurobiology behind this, noting how rhythm and mel ... Show More
27m 48s
May 2024
GUEST SERIES | Dr. Matt Walker: The Science of Dreams, Nightmares & Lucid Dreaming
This is episode 6 of a 6-part special series on sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and a leading public educator on sleep for mental and physical health, learning and human performance. In thi ... Show More
2h 33m
Jan 2024
Episode 31: The Neuroscience of Dreams
Dreams are both scientifically fascinating and universal. Everyone dreams, at every age and they are often nonsensical, complex, and deeply subjective. How can you quantify something so personal in the activity of cells, circuits, and systems?Let's find out together!Please rate, ... Show More
23m 1s
May 2023
88. The psychology of dreams
This week on the podcast we are breaking down the psychology of our dreams - why we dream, the role of our brain, what our dreams mean, repressed desires, nightmares and even the role of daydreaming for our mental wellbeing. If you've ever wondered about your weird dreams, some o ... Show More
37m 34s
Dec 2024
Dreams, nightmares and sleepwalking: What can happen while we sleep, with Antonio Zadra, PhD
Our dreams can be exhilarating, surprising, terrifying, even mundane. But where do they come from and what, if anything, do they mean? Dream researcher Antonio Zadra, PhD, talks about why some people remember their dreams vividly while others don’t remember them at all; whether e ... Show More
41m 48s