Why ‘sleeping on it’ works, says Harvard study

Research shows that the old saying ‘let me sleep on it’ isn’t just about rest, it actually helps our brains work smarter.

Today’s fast-paced culture and constant connectivity demands instant response, but stepping back and sleeping on something can help us process it on a deeper level.

ALSO READ: Why sleep is essential for your health

“Creativity is taking two pieces of information you already have and suddenly seeing how they fit together in a way you’d never thought of,” says Harvard psychiatrist Robert Stickgold.

“When you’re asleep, your brain neurochemistry shifts, making it easier for the brain to travel along pathways that lead to associations you otherwise would be very unlikely to uncover.”

In two studies, Stickgold and his team tested how sleep affects learning. They taught people a visual spotting task and tested them later.

Those who stayed awake showed no improvement, but those who slept at least six hours improved significantly.

Even more interesting was the better the quality of sleep – specifically the amount of deep sleep early in the night and dream sleep (REM) later – the greater the improvement. These two phases accounted for 80% of the difference in learning.

“That was startling to us. I’ve never seen such a strong correlation between the quality of people’s sleep and any behavioural measures, let alone measures of memory and learning,” concluded Stickgold.

Sources: https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct01/sleeponit
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/03/13/sleep-creativity-naps-science/

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