To sleep, perchance to gain creative insight?
The development of mathematical insight, the knack for discovering novel solutions to mathematical problems, might be one of the most erudite forms of learning that we can hope to achieve. However, Wagner and his colleague now report that a night of sleep after being exposed to a class of mathematical problems more than doubles the likelihood of discovering just such a novel solution.
Stickgold
Robert
R
Center for Sleep and Cognition, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. rstickgold@hms.harvard.edu <rstickgold@hms.harvard.edu>
Walker
Matthew
M
D003405:Creativity; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology*