Overview

• 85.7% of participants who reached N2 sleep during a 20-minute nap reported sudden insights compared with 63.6% in light N1 sleep and 55.5% who stayed awake.
• Researchers used EEG monitoring to track sleep stages and found that a steeper spectral slope during N2 sleep correlated with higher rates of problem-solving breakthroughs.
• Participants completed a dot-tracking perceptual task with an unannounced shortcut and were tested before and after napping to measure “aha” moments.
• The results reinforce anecdotal reports of post-nap clarity and highlight practical implications for students, professionals and creatives seeking cognitive breakthroughs.
• The Universität Hamburg team plans further studies to uncover the neural mechanisms through which N2 sleep fosters creative insight.