Got a Problem? Hit the Mattress
If you're chewing over a conundrum or pondering a problem, don't worry – sleep on it.
Life is full of worries, problems and stresses – enough to keep us tossing and turning on our mattress. But in fact, scientists say the best way to solve a problem could be to sleep on it. Scientists have said they believe that a type of dreaming slumber (REM sleep) plays an important role when it comes to problem solving. The most optimum time to solve problems that are harder to solve in the day is early morning – when you're still in a dreamy sleep.
The Mattress Made for Dreaming
There has long been a belief that problems are easier to solve once the issue has been 'slept on'. REM sleep is where the brain becomes active, the eyes flicker and dreams begin – it could play a crucial role in helping us solve our problems subconsciously. REM sleep gets progressively longer as we draw nearer to the morning – during our time asleep in our beds we tend to dip into REM four or five times. Researchers found that those who had good quality sleep on their beds had more chance of solving a problem involving creative associations. A series of tests were undertaken asking sleepers to solve creative problems. Some were asked to 'sit on it' and solve the problem later in the afternoon. Those who took to their mattress and had a nap and experienced REM sleep were 40% more likely to solve the problem. It's a significant increase. Those who hadn't slept showed no improvement in solving the problem despite having the same amount of time to 'sit on it'. The results, scientists believe, shows that sleeping on problems really can help.
Beds in the Office?
Sara Mednick of the University of California in San Diego led the study, she told the press: “We found that for creative problems that you've already been working on, the passage of time is enough to find solutions. However, for new problems, only REM sleep enhances creativity.”
Many people would love to schedule in an afternoon nap into their office lives. But of course, such things are seen as time wasting and counter productive. Now employees could argue that its been scientifically proven that they'll find solutions to work problems out more efficiently if they were allowed to 'sleep on it'. Perhaps switching those office chairs for beds and mattresses isn't so crazy an idea after all!
Looking for a new Bed or Mattress? Speak to Snug
Snug memory foam mattresses are carefully crafted to help you achieve a good night's sleep. Our top class memory foam mattresses are hypo-allergenic, temperature sensitive and come complete with 5 or 15 year guarantees. You can shop online straight away, or call us on 0800 0277017 if you need help with your choice of mattress.
