I've gotten into the habit lately of waking up with friends and
collaborators. It's not what you think. These helpers are the good ideas
that come to me in the middle of the night or—if I'm lucky—first thing
in the morning. I've long believed there was value in the expression,
"let's sleep on it." Now and
again, I've woken up to an old idea that had been buried away in my unconscious.
Sometimes I've awakened with a new perspective on a problem that was
bugging me the day before. Or suddenly, I've been able to spit out a
name that had recently been on the tip of my tongue. But now that I've
reviewed some of the very recent research on what goes on in the brain
during sleep, I'm ready to take much better advantage of my
sleep-induced ideas.
For years, scientists thought that the function of sleep was merely to
rest the body and mind, but recent research suggests that sleep is
essential for both learning and creativity.[1]
It's no surprise that people who are well rested learn better and are
more creative. What is new is the value of sleeping after learning
something or during a break in trying to solve a problem. Studies have
looked at the benefits of taking naps as well as sleeping through the
night.[2]
To read the full, original article click on this link: Sleep for Success: Creativity and the Neuroscience of Slumber | Psychology Today
Author: Joanne Cantor
