Deeper Sleep Stages Boost Problem-Solving Insights, Study Finds 8
A new study challenges previous research about which sleep stages help people achieve breakthrough moments in problem-solving. Researchers found that N2 sleep, a deeper stage of non-REM sleep, significantly increased participants' likelihood of experiencing sudden insights during a perceptual task. The preregistered study involved 90 participants who performed a visual pattern recognition task before and after a 20-minute daytime nap while researchers monitored their brain activity with EEG.
Participants who reached N2 sleep showed an 85.7% rate of achieving insights about a hidden strategy in the task, compared to 63.6% for those who only reached N1 sleep (the first stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep) and 55.5% for participants who remained awake. The findings contradict earlier work by Lacaux and colleagues, which suggested that lighter N1 sleep promoted insight while deeper sleep hindered it.
News coverage: Stuck on a problem? Take a nap!
Participants who reached N2 sleep showed an 85.7% rate of achieving insights about a hidden strategy in the task, compared to 63.6% for those who only reached N1 sleep (the first stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep) and 55.5% for participants who remained awake. The findings contradict earlier work by Lacaux and colleagues, which suggested that lighter N1 sleep promoted insight while deeper sleep hindered it.
News coverage: Stuck on a problem? Take a nap!
Many Times (Score:4, Insightful)
When faced with a difficult, complex problem, I wake up in the middle of the night with the answer in an 'aha' solution. It's very satisfying.
Re: (Score:2)
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And then I must write it down, or it will be lost forever. Apparently my mind is keen on discovering that a solution exists. Not so keen on implementing it. So I have had some great ideas and solutions, then my mind goes "OK, solved that one! Whew!" and as soon as possible throws it away. Invariably long before morning.
So ... (Score:4, Funny)
I'm going to be an allstar at work! (Score:3)
So next time the boss catches me having a quick nap, I can just tell him I'm seeking unique and creative insights in order to solve whatever problem is bothering us at the moment. Me likey!
As a technical person (Score:2)