On the topic of sleep, few can rival Dr. Matthew Walker’s expertise. He is one of the most respected sleep scientists in the world, a title reflected through his role as Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California. He has taken part in hundreds of scientific research studies, the results of which he translates to audiences at corporate events and industry conferences. Dr. Walker is best known for his book, Why We Sleep. His debut publication, the scientific guide addresses sleep deprivation and dementia, following four years of intense study.
Why We Sleep was named a Sunday Times and New York Times Bestseller, and earned Dr. Walker the title of “the world’s most famous expert on [sleep]”, as defined by the Financial Times. His book was even selected for the Sundance Book Festival, a reflection of its popularity. Following his PhD in Neurophysiology from Newcastle University, Dr. Walker became an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School in 2004, and a professor at the University of California in 2007. He later founded the Center for Human Sleep Science where he is now a Director.
The organisation uses brain-scanning technology to unearth the many secrets of mental health, neurological diseases and sleep. Dr. Walker collaborated with Project Baseline and Google in 2018, to develop a sleep diary for users. The tool allows people to track their sleep, and gather valuable information of their night-time habits. He continued working with Google, to “explore sleep health and diseases”. At events, Dr. Walker’s driving passion is to “reunite humanity with sleep”, a core focus that shapes his advice and speaking topics.
His previous event clients include Royal Society for the Arts and Google, a testament to Dr. Walker’s international reputation. In 2019, Dr. Walker gave a TED talk that has since been viewed over 12 million times, making it one of the fastest growing online videos by the organisation. The speech tackled similar topics to his book and addressed the role of sleep in our health. Following similar topics, he hosted The Science of Sleep, and has consulted on several popular documentaries. As a speaker, Dr. Walker translates the complex subject of neurology and sleep to audiences of all industries as a scientific counsel, to help professionals understand their health. His advice will set your guests on a path to better bedtime health.
How to hire Dr. Matthew Walker
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Dr. Matthew Walker for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
When Dr Matthew Walker is booked for events, he is known to discuss the following topics:
- Healthy living
- Innovation
- Medicine
- Sleep
"It was absolutely perfect! Matt is such a delight to work with and the audience loved, loved his presentation." - The Cooper Companies
"A thoughtful tour through the still dimly understood state of being asleep …Why We Sleep is a book on a mission. Walker is in love with sleep and wants us to fall in love with sleep, too. And it is urgent. He makes the argument, persuasively, that we are in the midst of a ‘silent sleep loss epidemic’ that poses ‘the greatest public health challenge we face in the 21st century’ … Why We Sleep mounts a persuasive, exuberant case for addressing our societal sleep deficit and for the virtues of sleep itself. It is recommended for night-table reading in the most pragmatic sense." - New York Times Book Review
"A neuroscientist has found a revolutionary way of being cleverer, more attractive, slimmer, happier, healthier and of warding off cancer — a good night’s shut-eye ... It’s probably a little too soon to tell you that Why We Sleep saved my life, but I can tell you that it’s been an eye-opener." - The Guardian
"Fascinating ... Walker describes how our resting habits have changed throughout history; the connection between sleep, chronic disease, and life span; and why the pills and aids we use to sleep longer and deeper are actually making our nights worse. Most important, he gives us simple, actionable ways to get better rest - tonight." - Men's Journal
"Most of us have no idea what we do with a third of our lives. In this lucid and engaging book, Matt Walker explains the new science that is rapidly solving this age-old mystery. Why We Sleep is a canny pleasure that will have you turning pages well past your bedtime." - Daniel, Professor of Psychology at Harvard & Author of Stumbling on Happiness
