It often happens that when the house gets quiet and the lights dim, many people’s minds start racing. It is not simple agitation, nor a casual habit: it is a mechanism that science is observing more and more closely. A study published in the journal Medecine du Sommeil describes an interesting phenomenon. According to researchers, those with high cognitive potential tend to have a greater amount of paradoxical sleep, the phase in which the brain processes information, consolidates memories and gives rise to particularly vivid dreams. It’s a type of brain activity that doesn’t turn off with the bedside light, on the contrary: it seems to intensify just when rest should begin.
The psychologist Arielle Adda, quoted by Figaro Etudiantpoints out that many people with high intelligence show a strong tendency to reflect in the evening. Before sleeping they analyze the day, go over conversations, re-elaborate emotions and mentally prepare the next day’s commitments. It is a way of thinking that is activated spontaneously and which, over time, becomes a real routine.
A study conducted by Anne Guignard-Perret and Olivier Revol also finds that high-potential children have shorter but more numerous sleep cycles. Their mind moves faster, as if it were programmed to maintain intense activity even during rest. In adulthood, this characteristic can transform into a singular combination of creativity, tiredness and particularly complex dreams.
According to researchers, it is precisely IQ that positively correlates with the duration of paradoxical sleep: the higher it is, the more active the brain remains in that phase.
A nightly habit that stimulates creativity and memory
This particular way of experiencing the evening hours is shared by many people with a lively mind. On the one hand, the depth of thought fuels intuitions, new ideas and analytical skills; on the other hand, however, it can make it more difficult to “switch off” and promote the relaxation necessary for sleep.
Experts point out that reading a few pages, breathing deeply or doing a short stretch can help slow down mental activity before bed. It’s not about eliminating thought, but about guiding it towards a less intrusive rhythm.
Those with high potential, often also called “zebras”, share this feeling of having a brain that is always on. A valuable resource during the day, but sometimes a burden at night. Yet, this nocturnal routine tells a lot about the people who live it: heightened sensitivity, fertile imagination and a unique way of processing what happens during the day.
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