It used to be that sleep was for resting. Now research indicates that sleep is for working! More specifically, sleep is for dreaming which can help with problem solving.
Friedrich August Kekule dreamed up the structure of benzene while asleep, and Otto Loewi was catching some zzzs when he concocted an experiment that won a Nobel Peace Prize in medicine.
Deirdre Barrett recently wrote in Scientific American Mind about the kind of inspiration that can strike during sleep. Check this out:
Dreams may seem bizarre or nonsensical because the chemistry of the sleeping brain affects how we perceive our own thoughts, but we nonetheless continue focusing on all the same issues that concern us while we are awake. This unusual state of consciousness is often a blessing for problem solving–it helps us find solutions outside our normal patterns of thought.
We love to sleep! And now in addition to getting needed rest, we can be productive at 3:00am.
How?
Barrett proposes that:
In a short amount of time, people can learn to focus their dreams on minor problems and often solve them [while asleep].
Moreover:
Sleeping for a while after learning something new results in much better recall than after spending the same amount of time awake.
In the fast-paced world we all promote, and with so much work we feel the need to do, sometimes sleep can seem like wasted time. Yet in addition to reminding us that we’re mammals with undeniable physiological needs, slumber has these fruitful purposes. The task is to learn how to leverage our unconscious problem solving abilities in service of our projects.
Concretely, Barrett suggests briefly writing down a problem on a piece of paper and leaving it next to your bed. Tell yourself you want to dream about it. Then when you awake, lie still and see if you can remember any part of your dreams. If yes, write down the details. You may find a solution right before your eyes.
So… get to work.
Meaning, go to bed!
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