In the fast-paced modern life, waking up in the morning often becomes the hardest time of the day for many people. For a long time, the public has not had a good impression of lying in bed, thinking that it is a bad habit. However, a study from Stockholm University in Sweden has led to an unexpected discovery: people who stay in bed for 30 minutes may become smarter as a result.
Lying in bed for 30 minutes can improve intelligence!
In the study, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, the research team first surveyed 1,732 volunteers, asked them if they had the habit of continuing to lie in bed after an alarm went off, and summarized the common characteristics of these "bed sleepers". Subsequently, 31 volunteers who habitually lay in bed were selected for a detailed study in the sleep laboratory for two nights. During the two nights, volunteers were allowed to sleep for an extra 30 minutes and wake up immediately after the alarm went off, after which their sleep quality, cognitive function, cortisol levels, and emotional state were thoroughly assessed.
The results of the study showed that those who were allowed to sleep for an extra 30 minutes performed significantly better on cognitive tests such as arithmetic speed and episodic memory than those who got out of bed immediately. The discovery sparked a great deal of interest in the scientific community because it challenged the long-standing conventional wisdom that "early birds get bugs," suggesting that a moderate lazy bed might have a positive effect on mental performance.
So, why does lying in bed improve intellectual performance?
Researchers believe that there are several possible reasons why lying in bed affects intelligence.
1. Changes in cortisol levels: Cortisol is a stress hormone that plays an important role in regulating the body's response to stress, staying awake and energetic. Studies have found that moderate bed reliever can briefly increase cortisol levels, making people feel more awake and energetic after waking up. This alteration in physiological state helps people to better cope with the challenges of daily life, which leads to improved intellectual performance.
2. Counteract of sleep inertia: When people are awakened from deep sleep, they go through a transition period known as "sleep inertia". At this stage, the person's cognitive ability, emotion, and reaction speed will be affected, which is manifested as unclear thinking, depressed mood, etc. However, studies have pointed out that if you choose to sleep for another 30 minutes after the alarm goes off for the first time, you can effectively counteract this "sleep inertia", allowing people to have an agile mind and a good mental state immediately after waking up.
3. The effect of a nap: The 30 minutes of lying in bed is actually a short nap. During this time, people's sleep is mainly focused on the N2 sleep phase (the second stage of REM sleep), which is easy to wake up and does not cause the fatigue that follows a deep sleep. As a result, people who are in bed usually wake up in a light sleep and feel refreshed, which provides good physical and mental preparation for the next activity.
Note: Don't lie in bed without moderation!
While 30 minutes of lying in bed may have some intellectual enhancement effect, it doesn't mean that we can indulge ourselves in bed without restraint. Because lying in bed for a long time can also have a bad effect.
1. Lie in bed moderately
According to the results of the study, the bed lying time should be controlled to about 30 minutes. Staying in bed for too long may cause a disruption of the biological clock, affecting normal routines, which in turn can negatively affect physical health and cognitive performance.
2. Combine personal habits
Everyone's sleep needs and habits are different, so you should arrange your morning waking time according to your actual situation. For those who are used to waking up early, try lying down for a few more minutes after the alarm goes off to enjoy the benefits of a lazy bed; For people who have the habit of lying in bed, they should pay attention to controlling the time they spend in bed to avoid overdoing it.
3. Maintain a regular schedule and rest
Whether you're in bed or not, maintaining a regular sleep schedule is an important factor in maintaining brain health and cognitive performance. Adequate sleep time, a good sleep environment, and sleep habits all contribute to our cognitive function and emotional state.
4. Pay attention to sleep quality
In addition to the time spent in bed, we should also pay attention to the quality of our sleep. Improve sleep quality by improving the sleep environment, adjusting sleep positions, avoiding over-excitement before bedtime, etc., so as to further promote intellectual development and physical and mental health.