Why does Creativity Thrive in the Dark

“I love the silent hour of night,

For blissful dreams may then arise,

Revealing to my charmed sight

What may not bless my waking eyes.”

— Anne Brontë

Many of history's most imaginative minds have been inspired by dim lighting. They would take a nightly walk or work at their desk using only a candle.

Science is showing us why these creatives and Nobel Prize winners seem to thrive by night.

Psychologists Anna Steidle and Lioba Werth recently studied the effect of different lighting arrangements on creativity. They found that subjects who worked under dim light were more creative and came up with more new ideas than those who worked under brighter light. It seems that darkness frees our minds to explore new areas.

In the dim light, the chaos that surrounds you when the light is brighter fades, and you can focus better on what’s right in front of you. This increases creativity and frees your thoughts.

That’s why nightclubs are places where almost anything seems possible.

I’m not telling you to go to a nightclub to be more creative. You can stay at home and invest in low-wattage lighting.

Make it part of your nightly ritual. Three hours before bedtime, turn off the bright lights, use only dimmer ones, and start winding down.