Why You Should Nap like This Famous Inventor

When Thomas Edison sought inspiration, he would take a nap. Specifically, he would hold a small object in his hand, then go to sleep. When the object fell to the floor, he’d often awaken with a new idea. As it turns out, his method has a scientific basis: A French study suggests the brain activity in the twilight zone between sleep and wakefulness—called N1 or hypnagogia—can connect dreamlike experiences with recent events that occurred while awake. Nearly 83 percent of study participants who napped for 10 minutes successfully solved a math problem presented earlier, compared to 30 percent of subjects who stayed awake and 14 percent of those who fell into a deeper sleep.