If you’re reading this in bed, science says you should probably stay there for a little while. You may catch some trouble from your boss, teacher, or parents, but throw some research in their faces and roll back over. Catch a few more winks. You’re smarter and more creative for it–science says. According to a recent article in the Huffington Post those of us willing to “deviate from a normal sleep schedule” are responsible for shifting evolutionary patterns.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Maybe, “lazy” people are shifting our evolutionary patterns in the wrong direction. That may be the case. But a study at the University of Madrid says otherwise. Marina Giampietro, the lead author for the study, is arguing that those “shifts” are also the most progressive. The study ultimately showed that students who went to bed later (thus waking up later) actually scored higher on inductive reasoning tests. In the study she says:
“It’s all about what you’re doing with the time you have. Yes, early birds might be more productive, but late risers are more creative.
Early risers take advantage of those morning hours to do mundane activities like go to the gym, make coffee and get to work early, but it’s the late sleepers who really take advantage of the night — the special time to create and invent something new.”
It’s the old managerial adage about putting the laziest person in charge of the hardest task. It may not get done correctly. But if you turn a blind eye, they’ll get the job done. So stay up late, wake up early. Tell your boss to shove it. You’re being creative.
(Via Smithsonian Mag)
