Just how important is sleep? As artists and creatives continue to struggle with burnout and fatigue, mental health hygiene, diet and exercise have become more prominent in discussions on professional wellbeing. Sleep is often under-valued as an important cornerstone of mental health, and artists have famously struggled with sleep throughout history.
Even more troubling, many famous artists credit a haphazard sleep schedule with increased creativity. Although there is mixed scientific evidence for this claim, most studies show that sleep deprivation significantly impairs creative cognition. History provides plenty of examples for both sides of the argument.
Einstein, Angelou and more slept more than eight hours a night
In the pro-sleep camp are large-scale, detailed thinkers. Albert Einstein famously slept for 10 hours a night and took regular daytime naps. This is in great excess of the recommended eight hours of sleep, but it’s not too far-fetched to presume that Einstein’s well-rested brain allowed him to grapple with abstract problems on a universal scale.
The same is true for Winston Churchill, who prioritised eight hours of sleep a night, even during the height of the world wars. He was also a regular napper.
Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou both prioritised regular sleep schedules and credited naps and rest as fundamental for a creative mind. Henri Matisse was similar, valuing a routine that took advantage of ample sleep to recharge and taking breaks for relaxation.
Dali, da Vinci and others would force themselves to stay awake
The sleep patterns of some of history’s most creative minds, however, range from mundane insomnia to the downright bizarre. Internet influencers have popularised the benefits of da Vinci’s polyphasic sleep schedule, taking short naps every four hours instead of sleeping continuously at night. The evidence on these benefits is mixed, but da Vinci credited this schedule with helping him achieve productivity. Modern science now shows that prolonged use can impair function over time.
Salvador Dalà employed a technique he called ‘slumber with a key’. He would sit in a chair holding a key above a plate. As he drifted asleep, he would drop the key onto the plate, waking himself. He claimed this technique allowed him to sit between sleeping and waking as he created his surreal imagery.
Read: For art’s sake, don’t sacrifice your sleep!
Famous writers such as Franz Kafka and Virginia Woolf struggled with insomnia, often working late into the night. These problems likely informed their work, from Kafka’s dream-like environments to Woolf’s gift for depicting fragmented stream of conscious narratives.
If one is lucky enough to choose a sleep routine for peace of mind and clarity, all scientific signs point to having a consistent and well-rested regime as the most beneficial option. Some historical figures may disagree.
