Partial sleep deprivation with a 2-h time-in-bed may not change divergent thinking and insight problem solving in...

This study investigated the impact of partial sleep deprivation on creativity by comparing performance changes between the partial sleep deprivation and normal sleep groups before and after engaging in creative tasks.

Twenty-seven adult males (age 22.59 ± 1.89) participated in this experiment. Participants were divided into two groups: those with partial sleep deprivation and those with normal sleep patterns. Both groups completed creativity assessments, including the Japanese version of the Divergent Association Task (DAT) and tangram puzzles, before and after the sleep intervention.

The results indicated that despite increased subjective sleepiness and decreased sustained attention in the partial sleep deprivation group, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of performance on the DAT and tangram tasks. A Bayesian two-way analysis of variance supported the hypothesis that partial sleep deprivation does not adversely affect these aspects of creativity.

These findings suggest that partial sleep deprivation may not impair certain creative abilities, such as verbal divergent thinking and insight problem-solving. However, while creative performance is maintained, other cognitive functions and overall health may be compromised owing to insufficient sleep. Therefore, individuals, especially those in creative professions, should be cautious of the potentially broader impacts of sleep deprivation.