**A little aside....if you still need great Christmas gifts, I've just started a sale at Dirksen Dabbles. Use the discount code TISTHESEASON to receive 15% off any painting! This offer is valid through Saturday December 18th.**
From a very young age...okay, okay from birth...I have slept a lot. I slept through the night at a young age, I took long naps as a toddler, I went to bed at an embarrassingly early hour as a teenager, and never pulled an all-nighter in college. To this day, I can easily sleep for nine hours a night.
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| Red Pandas |
The people who get anywhere from 4-6 hours of sleep per night and still function astound me. There was one semester of college where I was averaging around 6 1/2 to 7...and I literally was falling asleep in my classes every day.
These sleepless people were making me think the other day about the relation of sleep to art. In their state, yes, they can function, but can they create? And if they can create with that level of sleep, can they create something better with more?
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| Intruders In The Dust |
I honestly feel that sleep affects people in very different ways. There are probably people who create better when sleep deprived. But in general, I feel that fully rested adults are able to use their mental faculties better. Creativity is one of the most difficult mental faculties because you are having to come up with new ideas.
So...what about you? Do you create better with more sleep, or less?
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I would completely agree... but not just from a creative perspective. As a counselor, I constantly tell people that ALL things are enhanced by a good sleep schedule. Creativity, emotional regulation, etc. It makes us FUNCTIONAL people who think more clearly! I like this post!!
ReplyDeleteOooh I might be one of those oddballs here. :) Now don't get me wrong- I can EASILY sleep 12 hours straight if given the chance. I LOVE sleep! But I have a really hard time getting to sleep most of the time. Probably 80% of my work is done between the hours of 11pm and 4am. I'm notorious for pulling all nighters getting stuff done- the thing is, I then crash and sleep all through the day. I've never had a very good, regular sleep schedule- and I've tried hard! So while I've often worked on minimal sleep, as soon as I'm done, I crash- I don't like to continuously get minimal sleep -if that makes sense?
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating topic.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a night where I have slept more than 6 hours in a row for over 5 years. I used to sleep at least 9 hours easily every night. But as I get older and health issues challenge then sleep has become disturbed.
I find it isn't so much the amount of sleep I get as to the amount of functional time I have available during the day that affects my creativity but, I guess, they are both linked.
Have a lovely evening. T :)
I don't function at all if I get to little sleep but normally 6-8 hours does the trick for me! And I love those red pandas :)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Signe
hmm, well i agree we probably all function better with a good sleep schedule but everyone is a bit different. I LOVE to sleep in and stay up late...i do my best work at odd hours of the night and used to pull all nighters in my painting studio every week in college. my dad has never needed more than 5 or 6 hours a night though and is incredibly productive and creative the twerp...to each his own i suppose!
ReplyDeleteI used to sleep a little--- until I couldn't any more. Now I have to get good quality sleep in order to function at all! In college I pulled many all nighters while writing papers and studying for exams and I think I used up all my no sleep capabilities. I now get 7 hours a night... or try to.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. You need that deep REM sleep to activate the subconscious creative side of the brain. I need at least 8-10 hours of sleep per night, and I can only do good work when I'm rested. Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
ReplyDelete