Voltaire, the symbol of the 18th-century European Enlightenment, who left behind countless novels, tragedies, and historical texts. Where did his sharp criticisms and brilliant humanistic ideas begin each morning? ✍️
Surprisingly, after waking up in the morning, Voltaire spent several hours reading or writing without stepping out of bed. He knew that during these half-asleep morning hours, cognitive flexibility is maximized, and sharp satire and flashing metaphorical expressions flow naturally. Voltaire kept several secretaries in his bedroom, dictating thoughts or writing dozens of letters while leaning back in bed. Much of his vast correspondence was born from this bedside routine.
Historical & Academic Evidence
This content is based on Memoirs of Voltaire's secretary Wagnière & Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
1. Cognitive Science of ‘Sleep Inertia’ for Maximizing Creativity
The state in which the brain is not fully awake immediately after waking up is called ‘sleep inertia’ or the ‘hypnopompic’ state in cognitive science. During this period, the censorship of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for rational judgment and inhibition, weakens. On the other hand, alpha (α) waves in a relaxed state and theta (θ) waves in a light dream state lead the brain. This lowers the censorship barrier of thoughts, enabling non-linear and original associations. Voltaire was able to pour out brilliant satire and ideas from his bed because he perfectly utilized this gap in the brain where the subconscious is active before conscious logic takes over.
2. 3-Step Practical Routine for Modern Professionals
Maintaining the Half-Asleep State
Immediately after waking up, do not get out of bed or look at your smartphone. Quietly feel the flow of the half-asleep state where the subconscious is active before the brain is fully awake.
Pouring Out Free Association Ideas
Take the paper and pen next to the bed and write down your thoughts, ideas for today's tasks, or emotions raw as they are. Keep your hand moving without worrying about spelling or logic.
Refining Key Keywords and Getting Up
After writing for about 5-10 minutes, select 2-3 words that inspire you or key keywords that will direct your actions for the day and highlight them. Refresh your mind, then get up in a good mood.
3. Overcoming Bad Morning Habits with Conscious Bedside Writing
The most important thing to watch out for when following this bedside routine is unconsciously checking SNS or news on your smartphone. The visual stimuli of digital devices that trigger dopamine put the brain in a tense state, instantly erasing the precious subconscious creativity of the sleep inertia state. Keep only paper and a pen next to the bed and guard those 10 minutes of complete contemplation.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How is writing in bed different from general morning pages written after getting up? ▼
While morning pages are written after washing your face or sitting down, where reason is partially active, Voltaire's bedside writing targets the 'gap in the brain' during sleep inertia before physically getting up, capturing subconscious metaphors and creative thoughts in their rawest state.
What should I do if I can't think of anything to write in bed every morning? ▼
There is absolutely no need to write grand ideas. You can simply write down any minor fragment that passes through your head, like a bad event from yesterday, the annoyance of today's tasks, or random lists of words. The goal is the practice of releasing the brain's inhibition filter.
