Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Another reason I need sleep

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a normal stage of sleep characterized by rapid movements of the eyes.

Because REM is a mixture of encephalic (brain) states of excitement and muscular immobility, it is sometimes called paradoxical sleep. It is generally thought that REM-associated muscle paralysis is meant to keep the body from acting out the dreams that occur during this intensely cerebral stage.

We examined the role of REM on creative problem solving, with the Remote Associates Test (RAT). Using a nap paradigm, we manipulated various conditions of prior exposure to elements of a creative problem.

A study done by Dr Sara Mednick, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego and the VA San Diego Healthcare System, and colleagues, on the positive effects of napping was published online in the 8th June issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The researchers said their findings are important because they show that sleep, and REM sleep in particular, helps the brain to form "associative networks".

Mednick said:

"For creative problems that you've already been working on -- the passage of time is enough to find solutions."

"However," she added, "for new problems, only REM sleep enhances creativity."

The researchers discovered that it looks as if REM sleep stimulates associative networks helping the brain to make new and useful connections between unrelated ideas, the key to creativity.

Denise J Cai, Sarnoff A Mednick, Elizabeth M Harrison, Jennifer C Kanady, and Sara C Mednick

PNAS published online before print June 8, 2009

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