I do this all the time with article ideas .
When I have a vague idea for an article, I think about it before I go to sleep.
The next morning the afghanistan telegram screening idea had taken shape and the words were just flowing out of me.
You can find the details of the study here .
3) The right environment for creativity
Creativity also depends on the environment.
This is what Professor Janetta Mitchell McCoy discovered.
She had students create collages. The first group sat in a room with sunlight and furniture made of natural wood. A more natural environment.
The second group sat in a room made of plasterboard and lots of plastic.
The first group produced more creative collages than the second.
So: white walls, artificial light and plastic reduce your creativity.
Natural wood, sunlight and nature-related materials increase your creativity.