3 daily habits of famous geniuses
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 13:38 PM

When you consider famous geniuses in history, it's likely you immediately think of their accomplishments. Think of Albert Einstein and you'll quickly remember his theory of relativity, and Michelangelo almost immediately brings to mind the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Although most famous historical geniuses have accomplished a great deal, many of them have something else in common - odd or ritualistic daily habits. Check out these three daily habits of many highly intelligent historical figures:

1. Napping
Odd sleep habits are so ubiquitous within the highly intelligent that it seems like they're practically a certainty if a person's IQ score is well above average. One habit involving sleep that many famous geniuses share is napping. Many highly intelligent figures are known for taking daily afternoon naps, including Winston Churchill and Salvador Dali (though his were notoriously short - he relaxed holding a key over a plate, so that as soon as he fell asleep the key would drop to wake him up). Additionally, an amazing number of genius minds followed the polyphasic sleep schedule, meaning they took 20-minute naps every four hours all day and night. Polyphasic nappers included Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, among others. Some current creative thinkers credit strange sleep habits with their successes as well. Martha Stewart and Donald Trump both say they only get around four hours of sleep a night, according to New York Daily News. 

2. Adhering to strict bedtimes
On the other hand, there were some geniuses who were averse to naps, and instead maintained very strict sleep schedules, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day and night. Famous American writer Flannery O'Connor adhered to a fairly early 9 p.m. bedtime and woke up each day at 6 a.m. Other strict sleepers include famous philosopher Immanuel Kant, writer and poet Maya Angelou and political figure Benjamin Franklin. 

3. Walking
There has been ample research linking physical activity with cognitive functioning, so it comes as no surprise that some of the most brilliant thinkers in history took daily walks to boost their brain power. Famous composers Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Ludwig van Beethoven both took long walks outdoors each afternoon after lunch, and Beethoven even brought a pencil and paper with him in case the walk produced any new ideas. Charles Dickens, author of "A Christmas Story" and "A Tale of Two Cities," took three-hour long walks in the afternoons, according to the Harvard Business Review. He was also known for pacing while working, which made it necessary for him to dictate his stories to an assistant.