If you do this before bedtime, you may have an above-average IQ

As the household calms down and the lights go out, some spirits are just beginning to race. This is no mere restlessness, nor is it a random habit: it's a mechanism that science is observing with great attention.

A mind that begins to race at dusk? A study published in the journal Médecine du Sommeil describes an interesting phenomenon. According to researchers, people with high cognitive potential tend to have more REM sleep, a phase during which the brain processes information, consolidates memories and gives rise to particularly vivid dreams. It's a type of brain activity that doesn't fade along with the light from the bedside lamp - quite the opposite, in fact: it seems to intensify just when rest should be settling in.

Psychologist Arielle Adda, quoted in Le Figaro Étudiant, points out that many highly intelligent people show a marked tendency to reflect on matters in the evening. Before going to sleep, they analyze their day, replay their conversations and emotions, and mentally prepare for the following day's commitments. It's a way of thinking that activates spontaneously and, over time, becomes a true routine.

A study by Anne Guignard-Perret and Olivier Revol also revealed that high-potential children have shorter but more numerous sleep cycles. Their minds work faster, as if programmed to maintain intense activity even during resting time. In adulthood, this characteristic can be translated into a singular combination of creativity, fatigue and particularly complex dreams.

According to the researchers, IQ correlates positively with REM sleep duration: the higher it is, the more active the brain remains during this phase.

A habit that stimulates creativity and memory

This particular way of experiencing nightfall is shared by many quick-witted people. And while deep thought can, on the one hand, fuel intuition, innovative ideas and analytical capacity, it can also make it harder to 'switch off' and prevent the relaxation necessary for sleep.

Experts remind us that reading a few pages, breathing deeply or doing some stretching can help slow down mental activity before bedtime. It's not a question of eliminating thought, but of guiding it towards a less invasive rhythm.

People with high potentials, often referred to as 'zebras', share the feeling of having a brain that's always buzzing. This is a precious resource during the day and can become a real burden at night. Yet this nocturnal routine speaks volumes about the qualities of the people who live it: heightened sensitivity, fertile imagination and a unique way of processing what happens during the day.

Source: Sleep Medicine

(MP/©GreenMe.it/Translation and adaptation: The Global Lifestyle/Pic: Unsplash)