Matthew Walker is a British neuroscientist and sleep expert who is currently a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at UC Berkeley. Previously, he was a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Walker earned his degree in neuroscience from Nottingham University, UK, and his PhD in neurophysiology from the Medical Research Council, London, UK.
Walker is best known for his research on the impact of sleep on human health and disease. He has published over 100 scientific research studies to date. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller, "Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams", which was selected for the Sundance Book Festival and hailed by Bill Gates as an "important and fascinating book". In 2020, Walker was awarded the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Achievements. Furthermore, Walker holds numerous U.S. patents concerning consumer-based sleep recording, tracking, and stimulation. He also owns several patents focused on the commercial use of consumer-based sleep measures as they apply to health, technology, business, and enterprise.
In addition to his academic and research roles, Walker is dedicated to communicating science to the public. He has been featured on CBS' "60 Minutes" and has contributed to documentaries by National Geographic and the BBC. His TED Talk, "Sleep is Your Superpower," has garnered over 17 million views. He also hosts "The Matt Walker Podcast". Walker has served as scientific counsel for numerous technology companies, including Google, Hello, and Fitbit. Currently, Walker is a Sleep Scientist at Google, helping with the scientific exploration of sleep in health and disease. In 2026, Walker plans to launch sleep innovation labs in DFW at the Center for BrainHealth, part of UT Dallas.
