The Beatles’ iconic song Yesterday came to life during what psychologists describe as the “hypnagogic state.” This is that dreamy space between being awake and asleep, where vivid mental images and sounds swirl around in our minds.
One morning in early 1965, Paul McCartney woke up with a long, complex melody playing in his head. He jumped out of bed, dashed to his piano, and began to play it out.
As he figured out the chords, he crafted some placeholder phrases—what songwriters often do before landing on actual lyrics—to fit that melody.
He found it hard to believe that such a lovely melody could just pop into his head, and he wondered if he might have somehow copied it from another song without realizing. So he spent about a month asking people in the music industry if they recognized it. As he put it, “If no one claimed it after a few weeks, then I could have it.” But, ultimately, no one did, and the song turned out to be original.
Interestingly, many breakthroughs and inventions have emerged from this hypnagogic state. The physicist Niels Bohr famously envisioned the nucleus of the atom while half-asleep, likening it to a solar system, thus discovering atomic structure.
The sweet spot
Research suggests this hypnagogic state is a creative hotspot. In a 2021 study, participants in this state were three times more likely to uncover the “hidden rule” needed to solve a math problem.
Psychologists associate creativity with traits like openness to experience and cognitive flexibility. Some have proposed that creativity results from a collaboration between the cognitive control network, which handles planning and problem-solving, and the default mode network, connected to daydreaming and wandering thoughts.
But I think one of the oldest theories of creativity, suggested by British psychologist Frederic Myers in 1881, is particularly insightful. He argued that ideas and insights can surface as an abrupt “uprush” from our subliminal mind.
Myers believed our conscious mind is just a fraction of the total mind, which includes a deeper unconscious and even higher levels of consciousness. Insights may quietly develop before making their way into our conscious awareness.
This is often why it feels like ideas come from outside our conscious thought—as if they’re gifted to us from somewhere beyond.
The importance of relaxation
The creativity that arises during the hypnagogic state is likely because, in that in-between time, our conscious mind is less active. There’s this brief moment when our mental barriers soften, allowing creative thoughts to slip in from the subliminal mind.
This connection between relaxation and creativity makes sense. When we’re preoccupied, our minds are often cluttered with thoughts, squeezing out space for those brilliant insights.
That’s why meditation is strongly linked with creativity. Studies show meditation promotes qualities like openness and cognitive flexibility.
Moreover, meditation calms the conscious mind, making it easier to receive inspiration that may lie just beyond its reach. In my book The Leap, I point out the strong relationship between spiritual awakening and creativity.
Nurturing the hypnagogic state
Research indicates that approximately 80% of people have experienced the hypnagogic state, with about a quarter of the population experiencing it regularly—slightly more often in women than men.
This state usually occurs at sleep onset but can also happen when waking or during daytime drowsiness.
So, can we leverage this hypnagogic state to boost our creativity? It’s definitely possible to hang out there, much like those luxurious Sunday morning sleep-ins.
However, one challenge is actually capturing the ideas that arise. In that groggy state, we might not feel inclined to jot down our thoughts. We often assure ourselves that a good idea will stick in our minds, but when we wake, it can vanish.
With mental practice, we can cultivate the habit of recording our hypnagogic ideas. A good tip is to keep a pad and pen handy by your bedside, or, for a modern twist, have your phone nearby with a recording app open.
Interestingly, Paul McCartney used this method himself, even teaching himself to write in the dark.
Moreover, we could try “conscious napping” to spark ideas. Thomas Edison would hold a metal ball as he dozed off. When he drifted to sleep, the ball would fall, waking him up, often leading to a new insight.
Overall, we should view idleness as an opportunity for creativity. Napping or just relaxing shouldn’t be seen as wasting time; instead, they could lead to some of our most inspiring ideas and revelations.
