Results indicated that although gifted students did trend toward experiencing more sleep disturbance, when compared to non-gifted students, no significant differences were found in mean bedtime, hours slept, sleeping problems, or use of electronic devices before bedtime.
Gifted kids seem to be able to function quite well with less sleep than their age mates, but they can sometimes have a difficult time getting to sleep. Many kids describe it as being unable to shut off their brains.
The study by Geiger et al6 who found that children with higher IQs need less sleep, may be an indication of the required amount of sleep by the gifted.
The results suggest that patterns and amounts of sleep stages in superior IQ children do not differ in any dramatic fashion from those of children with average IQ.
According to Peter Fleming, professor of infant health and developmental psychology at the University of Bristol, there is a link between 'very high levels of developmental and intellectual achievement and not sleeping throughout the night'.
Don't worry if your child is not getting the recommended amount of sleep for their age, either. For example, most toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 need 11 to 14 hours of sleep each day,5 but a gifted child may sleep only nine hours a day.
Studies show that night owls and those who wake up later actually are smarter and more creative than their early rising counterparts. They also have higher IQs according to The Independent. Unfortunately, night owls have slightly lower academic scores than early risers (by about 8%).
Albert Einstein is said to have slept 10 hours per night, plus regular daytime naps. Other great achievers, inventors, and thinkers – such as Nikola Tesla, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Leonardo da Vinci, and Sir Isaac Newton – are said to have slept between two and four hours per day.
Generally, high achievers tend to sleep less, Brager tells CNET. "If you look at US presidents, successful CEOs and military leaders, many report sleeping little but feeling fine and don't need stimulants to stay awake," she says. "Daily sleep needs fall along the bell curve like most physiological processes in nature.
The Gifted Child's Struggle
Giftedness can create problems and conflicts; being a gifted child can also mean difficulty socializing with age peers, thinking styles that don't always mesh well with the demands from the environment, even children who see themselves as little adults, challenging teachers and parents.
But the majority manage to get at least 6 hours, as you can see in the list below detailing the sleep habits of 10 highly successful people: Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX: 6 hours (1am — 7am) Tim Cook, CEO of Apple: 7 hours (9:30pm — 4:30am) Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft: 7 hours (12am — 7am)
Although there are no standard IQ levels of intellectual giftedness, some experts suggest the following IQ ranges: Mildly gifted: 115 to 129. Moderately gifted: 130 to 144. ighly gifted: 145 to 159.
A gifted child can lose interest because she is not challenged or motivated. Gifted children can be difficult to match with an appropriate class because, although they are cognitively ahead, they may be socially younger than their age peers, which can result in behavior problems.
Many gifted children are highly sensitive individuals. 1 They may take things personally and become upset by words and deeds that other children may easily ignore or get over quickly.
The research shows that while children are born with the potential to be gifted, the environment and nurture plays an important role in developing those innate abilities. In fact, researchers estimate conservatively that environmental influences can add 20-40 points on measured intelligence.
The causes of giftedness in cognitive or physical abilities are complex, involving both genetic and environmental contributions (Sternberg & Davidson, 2005).
Reading helps young children develop language and listening skills, builds vocabulary, inspires creativity, and improves cognitive skills. Other NIH research demonstrates the connection between reading and intelligence. Reading leads to smarter kids.
Did you know that insomnia is more common for those who have a high IQ. Intelligent people have a harder time switching off their brain. So, maybe you are just too clever to snooze! Don't panic, high IQ or not, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia can help you.
It's the time when everyone else is quiet. There are no distractions, demands, plans, or obstacles and you can be whatever you want to be until the sun comes up. That's also why you're smarter, according to research published in The Huffington Post.
Some evidence suggests that high IQ is associated with later sleep patterns. However, it is unclear whether the relationship between IQ and later sleep is due to biological or social effects, such as the timing of working hours.
IQ and other tests for giftedness are optimal around age 5.
High energy
With so much going on in their brains, gifted kids can sometimes be described as “intense,” Louis says. Their energy levels tend to be high, and they might get more excited than their peers about new or favorite topics or activities — and that can give the impression that they're dialed up to 11.
Highly sensitive children may need even more sleep than other children. According to Dr. Elaine Aron, author of the The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When The World Overwhelms Them, “HSCs need plenty of sleep.