Overview

• A PLOS Biology study of 90 participants found that 70.6% solved a hidden-rule dot-tracking task after a 20-minute nap versus 49.6% without napping.
• Those who entered N2 sleep had an 85.7% chance of ‘aha’ moments, compared with 63.6% for N1 sleep and 55.5% for wakefulness.
• EEG data revealed that a steeper spectral slope during N2 sleep was associated with a higher likelihood of creative insights.
• Study authors noted that even naps shorter than 30 minutes can deliver measurable cognitive benefits.
• The findings indicate that strategic power naps reaching N2 sleep can amplify creative problem solving.