Sleep doesn’t just rest our bodies. It also helps clear our minds. This enables us to make better, more rational decisions. Research shows that sleep can help us process information and prevent us from being misled by initial impressions. A study from Duke University highlighted this phenomenon. Participants played a virtual garage-sale game to test their decision-making skills.
In the experiment, participants sifted through virtual boxes filled with various items. While most items were not valuable, a few special ones were worth more. They were then asked to choose their favorite box, with their earnings based on the items inside. Those who made the decision quickly were influenced by the first items they saw, overlooking later, more valuable pieces. When participants slept on it, they made the decision the next day. They could consider the entire box. This allowed them to make more informed, rational choices.
PROBLEM-SOLVING: INSIGHTS FROM THE SLEEPING BRAIN
Sleep not only helps us make better decisions but also plays a crucial role in solving complex problems. A 2019 study revealed that when participants were exposed to sounds tied to an unsolved puzzle while asleep, their problem-solving abilities improved the next day.
Participants first worked on a set of puzzles, with a unique sound played in the background while they solved them. For puzzles they did not solve, researchers replayed the sound during sleep. The next day, the participants showed a higher success rate in solving the puzzles linked to the sounds. This suggests that sleep helped the brain process and work through the problem.
This demonstrates that sleep can help problem-solving by uncovering insights into relationships between objects and events. A 2023 study reinforced this idea by showing that after a night’s sleep, participants were able to identify indirect connections between different items, which they had missed while awake.
DREAMING: A GATEWAY TO CREATIVITY
Thomas Edison believed in the power of naps to fuel creativity. He was known for his inventions like the light bulb. Despite claiming to sleep only a few hours per night, Edison used naps to enhance his thinking. He would fall asleep while holding a ball, which would drop and wake him when he relaxed. This transitional period between wakefulness and sleep—called hypnagogia—was thought to spark his creative insights.
In a 2021 study, French scientists tested Edison’s claims by having participants solve a math problem with a hidden rule that would make the solution much easier. After working on the problem, participants were made to fall asleep while holding a cup. Participants who experienced light sleep identified the hidden rule more successfully. This was in comparison to those who remained awake or entered deep sleep. This suggests that the brief period between wakefulness and sleep is a unique phase where creative solutions can emerge.
Further research in 2023 found that the content of hypnagogic imagery, which often involves dream-like visions, was linked to creative problem-solving. Participants performed better in coming up with alternative uses for a tree. They excelled when the hypnagogic imagery they experienced involved trees. This finding supports the idea that the images we encounter as we drift into sleep can enhance our creativity.
