Now we know, as our circadian rhythms are responding to less light and our body is beginning to slow down for a night's rest, the right hemisphere of the brain can actively function and benefit our creative impulses when we're not in our most attentive state.
Another potential stimulant for late night innovation is REM sleep, the latter half of the sleep phase in which rapid side-to-side movement of the eyes occurs. This portion of the sleep cycle is associated with an altered brain state linked to creativity, my experts tell me.
The best time to get ideas is right after waking
As mentioned above, creativity peaks in the morning as the creative connections in our brains are most active. If you believe that creativity is your best source for ideation, then the early morning should be your best time for new thoughts.
Taken together, most of us are best able to focus and analyze in the morning, and to be creative or looser in the late afternoon. “During the recovery hours, we're not nearly as vigilant as we are at our peak,” says Pink. “But combine rising mood with less vigilance, and that makes it a good time for brainstorming.”
That's when you are most likely to have those creative sparks. It's about analysing what type of person you are. “[Most] people will be better suited to schedule creative time in the late morning or afternoon, when most people physiologically have an afternoon dip.”
Early risers are missing out on valuable hours
Previous studies have proven that night owls are smarter and richer than early risers, but recent findings show that they are also quicker and more alert when doing complex tasks throughout the day.
It's during REM sleep that the brain is most active and engaged in creative thinking, problem solving, and dreaming. So, it's possible for people to have insights and ideas during this stage of sleep, as the brain is processing information and making connections.
Interestingly, only a bit more than one-third (37 percent) of people in the study actually identified as early birds or night owls (13 percent and 24 percent respectively), although it's worth noting that evening types on 24 percent were the most common chronotype.
Other well-known night owls include Winston Churchill, Fran Lebowitz, Bob Dylan, Carl Jung, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Travolta, Prince, Christina Aguilera, and, believe it or not, Barack Obama.
Night owls may be at higher risk for chronic disease, prior research has shown. A 2022 study found night owls were more sedentary, had lower aerobic fitness levels, and burned less fat at rest and while active than early birds.
Night owls were found to be shy and sarcastic, more likely to use Instagram and to believe in ghosts and cryptids - defined in the. They were also more likely to be single, whereas early birds were more likely to be married and have children living in the house.
The sheer number of distractions that are bombarding the human brain are immeasurable. It's often more than even the most brilliant among us can process. At night as the distractions die down, the most brilliant minds get an opportunity to operate at full capacity.
Racing thoughts at night are often a symptom of anxiety, but anyone can experience them when they have worries on their mind. Such thoughts can be hard to control, cause you to feel overwhelmed, and make it difficult or impossible to sleep.
Thoughts at night, especially dreams or thoughts we have when we wake up from dreams, are less censored by our logical minds at night because as we become tired so does our right brained logical mind. As we become further tired, and hopefully more relaxed, our subconscious begins to take over.
Daydreaming during the day can be difficult, with plenty of distractions with work, kids, friends and responsibilities of daylight hours. Some studies suggest that those with higher IQs prefer nighttime hours, since the quiet is conducive to a wandering mind (and great ideas).
Those with an IQ of over 125 tended to go to bed around 12:30 a.m. and wake up around 8:00 a.m. on weekdays, and go to bed around 1:45 a.m. and wake up around 11:00 a.m. on weekends. Those of normal intelligence tended to sleep from 12:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on weekdays and from 1:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. on weekends.
Night owl behavior is often diagnosed as delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) by sleep clinicians. DSPD is estimated to affect 15 percent of the population of the United States. People with DSPD have a delayed circadian rhythm.
Why does imagining a fake scenario or story help you sleep? Using your imagination to think about yourself in a desirable situation is a great way of distracting you from day-to-day worries or concerns. It is also a good way of stopping you from getting frustrated at how difficult you're finding falling asleep.
Tactile Hallucinations
Tactile hallucination is the experience of feeling like you're being touched when you're not. It's one of the most common aspects of sleep paralysis. Many people say they feel pressure or contact. It's like something or someone is holding them down.
People who stay up late at night are more likely to display anti-social personality traits such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathic tendencies, according to a study published by a University of Western Sydney researcher.
A night owl personality tends to have creative bursts and extra energy late at night. Many night owls report that they do their best thinking and working late at night. Most night owls tend to believe they are almost nocturnal — like an owl.
They also had a decreased attention span compared to the night owls. This means that even though early risers are technically awake for more hours of the day, they are less productive than night owls. This makes the night owls smarter because they take full advance of their sleep cycle.
Early Birds VS Night Owls
There are key differences between early birds and night owls and although there are well-known successful night owls, early birds are more often associated with success.
Morning larks tend to live longer than night owls, research has shown.