The real role of sleep in the creative process is a bit of a confusing idea. On one hand, we know that sleep improves out productivity, sanity and overall ability to function, however many of us also have a massively romanticised idea that the great creatives from our history never slept and instead manically slaved over their work.

According to an infographic by New York based on Mason Currey’s ‘Daily Rituals: How Artists Work‘ the latter idea is mostly incorrect. In reality, many of our favourite writers, artists and musicians actually got a healthy six to eight hours sleep every night. So really, brilliance is a result of a well rested mind, and not staying awake by candle light slowly losing your mind like movies and biographies would have us believe.

Of the 27 inventively illustrated above, only a few of these creative minds had a weird sleep schedule. Balzac, for example, slept from 6pm to 1am and usually had a morning nap instead of sleeping through the night.

Which of these famous people’s sleep schedules most closely resembles yours?

The Sleeping Habits Of Geniuses | New York Mag

Featured photo credit: When Genius Slept | NY Mag via nymag.com

source: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/27-historys-most-creative-minds-and-their-sleep-schedules.html