# Insomnia and creativity in Chinese adolescents: mediation through need for cognition

## TL;DR

This study finds that daytime insomnia in Chinese adolescents may boost creativity by increasing their need for cognition.

## Contribution

The study identifies a mediating role of need for cognition in the relationship between insomnia and creativity in adolescents.

## Key findings

- Daytime insomnia positively correlates with overall creativity and imagination in adolescents.
- The need for cognition partially mediates the effect of daytime insomnia on creativity.
- Nighttime insomnia does not show a direct or indirect effect on creativity.

## Abstract

Creativity is an essential cognitive ability that plays a crucial role in advanced thinking. While previous research has demonstrated the impact of insomnia on cognitive function, its effects on creativity in Chinese adolescents remain unclear. This study explored the relationship between insomnia (specifically, daytime and nighttime disturbances) and creativity in adolescents. Additionally, it examined the potential mediating effect of the need for cognition on this relationship.

Questionnaires were administered to 302 adolescents to measure their creativity, need for cognition, and insomnia levels using the Williams Creative Tendencies Scale, Need for Cognition Scale, and Bergen Insomnia Scale, respectively. Regression analysis was conducted to examine the direct impact of insomnia on creativity. Furthermore, a mediation model was constructed to investigate the role of the need for cognition in mediating the relationship between insomnia and creativity.

The findings of the present study indicated that insomnia had a direct impact on the creativity of adolescents, demonstrating a time-of-day effect. Daytime disturbances were found to have a positive correlation with overall creativity and imagination, whereas no significant direct effect was found between nighttime disturbances and creativity. Further analysis revealed that insomnia, specifically daytime disturbances, might influence creativity by affecting the individual’s need for cognition. However, no similar indirect effects were observed for the relationship between nighttime disturbances and creativity.

Our findings indicate that adolescents might experience improved creativity as a result of daytime disruptions, and the level of need for cognition could play a crucial role in understanding the link between insomnia and creativity in adolescents.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-024-01663-3.