Sleep-storming? How you can dream up great ideas while you snooze

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – When it comes to the great ideas of the world – many were devised while the innovator was sleeping – or in a dream.

Einstein’s theory of relativity has been voted the greatest idea ever inspired during sleep, according to a new international poll by Calm.com.

Einstein’s famous theory topped the list followed by the periodic table of elements and then the invention of the sewing machine in the survey, all of which started with a sleepy dream.

Not only is it possible to boost your odds of generating ideas while you sleep but there’s even a scientific name for it – “Structured unconscious generative ideation”.

Today, it’s casually called “sleep-storming”, meaning you brainstorm while you’re asleep.

If you want to think creative thoughts while you snooze, experts from the Calm app say there are a few things you can do to make it happen.Keep a Notebook Handy & Write Down Your Dreams

The act of writing them down helps you build a relationship with your subconscious, which should in turn help improve your dream recall.Ask Your Subconscious The Question You’re Trying to Answer

Before falling asleep, ask yourself the question that you’re trying to answer; then, finally, focus on something else, such as reading or relaxation techniques.Wake Yourself Mid-Sleep

Waking yourself while dreaming or starting to fall asleep was a technique used by both the artist Salvador Dalí and the inventor Thomas Edison. The aim for both was to jolt themselves awake in order to capture ideas from their dreams.Learn to Have “Lucid Dreams”

Lucid dreaming is the sense of being consciously aware that you are dreaming. This state can help you to explore ideas, control elements of your dream and have better than normal dream recall than.