Professor of Neuroscience @ UC Berkeley · Sleep Scientist · Author: Why We Sleep · Podcaster · CEO Nightfall IQ · Chief Scientific Officer @rejuviawellness
California, USA
Joined October 2015
- Tweets 1,902
- Following 57
- Followers 200,990
- Likes 1,245
Nightmare disorders aren't just bad dreams; they're repetitive, distressing, and happen in REM sleep. About 4% of adults experience them. Image rehearsal therapy, rewriting the dream, can help dissipate the nightmares. #SleepDisorder #Nightmares
After studying modafinil for years, my conclusion remains: it's like borrowing against your cognitive future. No drug can replace the fundamental biological necessity of sleep. The most sustainable cognitive enhancement? Quality sleep. 😴💯#SleepIsYourSuperpower
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
The Global Drug Survey found nearly 30% of U.S. respondents admitted trying cognitive enhancers. We're conducting a massive, uncontrolled experiment on human cognition in real-time. 🔬🌎 #PublicHealth
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
Modafinil reduces hormonal contraceptive effectiveness by up to 25% - a critical consideration rarely discussed. The gender implications of cognitive enhancement deserve more attention. 👩🔬💊 #WomenInScience
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
The World Anti-Doping Agency banned modafinil after the 2003 scandal where multiple elite athletes falsely claimed narcolepsy diagnoses. When sleep becomes viewed as a competitive disadvantage, we've lost perspective. 🏅⏰ #SportsEthics
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
fMRI studies show a single 200mg modafinil dose increases anterior cingulate cortex activity by 38% and enhances neural network connectivity by ~45%. We're chemically rewiring our brains without understanding long-term effects. 🧠⚡️ #NeuralCircuitry
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
Genetic research shows COMT gene variants determine modafinil response - Val/Val carriers show greater cognitive enhancement than Met/Met variants. Are we creating a new form of genetic cognitive inequality? 🧬🔍 #PersonalizedMedicine
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
A 2012 study revealed modafinil's limits: while it maintains basic alertness during sleep deprivation, it preserves only 40-50% of creative thinking. Our most uniquely human abilities may be most vulnerable to sleep debt. 🎨💭 #CreativityScience
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
16.6% of modafinil users experience side effects: headaches (13%), nausea (11%), anxiety (8%). More concerning is the 0.8% risk of severe immune reactions like Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. No cognitive boost is worth this risk. ⚠️💉 #DrugSafety
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
The modafinil paradox: A drug designed to keep us awake has taught us more about how sleep works. By studying what happens when we chemically override sleep, we better understand why sleep is irreplaceable. 🔁🔬 #SleepResearch
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
A meta-analysis of 24 studies found modafinil most benefits complex cognitive tasks (20% improvement) vs. simple ones (3-5%). Like a cognitive tax bracket system - highest gains for our most sophisticated mental functions. 📊🧩 #BrainScience
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
New study: a GLP-1 drug (tecepatide) may be the first medication to treat sleep apnea. Patients saw a fivefold reduction in severity, and 50% needed no further treatment. Could be a game-changer! #SleepApnea #GLP1
Helicopter pilots after 40hrs without sleep maintained performance within 15-27% of rested levels with modafinil, while placebo groups' performance deteriorated by 60-100%. Military applications raise profound ethical questions. 🚁💭#CognitiveEnhancement
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
The ethics of cognitive enhancement: If modafinil improves executive function by ~15.3% and attention by 22.7% in healthy individuals, does this create an uneven playing field in competitive environments? 🏆⚗️ #NeuroEthics
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
2005 research showed modafinil increases histamine in the hypothalamus by 150-200%, essentially flipping your brain's alertness switch to "ON." Yet your underlying sleep drive continues accumulating in the background. ⏰💊 #SleepBiology
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
Modafinil isn't your typical stimulant - it blocks ~51% of dopamine transporters, increasing dopamine by ~40% without the "high" of amphetamines. But we still know very little about long-term neural consequences. 🧪🔍 #NeuropharmacologyFacts
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
A landmark 2004 study showed modafinil maintained cognitive performance at 85-90% of baseline after 64hrs of sleep deprivation, while placebo groups dropped to 30-40%. But there's always a biological cost to circumventing sleep. ⚖️🔬 #SleepDebt
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
Sleep science reveals that after just 17 hours awake, cognitive performance drops to levels equivalent to a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration. No pill can truly replace the restorative power of natural sleep. 🧠💤 #SleepScience
themattwalkerpodcast.buzzspr…
Can Modafinil truly replace sleep? It can maintain alertness at 85-90% of baseline after two nights without sleep. However, this comes at a cost, preserving only 65-70% of complex decision-making abilities. Can we afford to sacrifice higher-order cognition for simple alertness?
This is one of THE most helpful, brilliant, and comprehensive podcasts on sleep. 🎤-drop 🙌 piped.video/AQF_eopP1ys @michaelgrandner @foundmyfitness