Hello! My name is Liz Staley and I’m a long-time user of Clip Studio Paint (I started using the program back when it was known as Manga Studio 4!). I was a beta-tester on the Manga Studio 5 program and for Clip Studio Paint, and I have written three books and several video courses about the program. Many of you probably know my name from those books, in fact. I write weekly posts on Graphixly.com and on CSP Tips, so be sure to come back every week to learn more Clip Studio Tips and Tricks from me!

Over this past year I’ve been trying to take better care of my health, and that included finally figuring out why I have so many issues with sleeping! After what felt like dozens of doctor’s appointments, I can finally say that I’m sleeping better and I feel a lot better, and because of that I’ve been thinking a lot about sleep lately. 

In this article we will cover the following topics:

Why Sleep is Important for Artists

Exercise and Stretch

Don’t Work in Bed

Have a Consistent Routine

Journal or Brain Dump Before Bed

Talk to Your Doctor

Let’s talk about sleep!

Why Sleep is Important for Creativity

Our modern culture prioritizes being tired. We’re told all our lives that we need to “hustle” and that if we’re not doing something productive or income producing then we’re wasting our time. However, sleep plays an important role in creativity.

So many of us see sleep as a waste of time. We could be spending those hours creating, right? But having a good relationship with sleep should be seen as part of being creative! Sleep allows our body and our mind to rest and reset, leading to increased creativity and productivity and allowing for better problem solving. If your brain is exhausted then it’s harder to see a solution to an issue and it’s much easier to make mistakes. Sleep stimulates divergent thinking, which is why “sleeping on it” is a great way to come up with a solution to an issue!

Even though it’s tempting to stay up all night drawing and live on caffeine, that type of lifestyle is not sustainable and it will actually kill your creativity eventually! Besides, in this hustle culture, prioritizing sleep is a rebellious thing to do, and most artists I know are definitely rebels against the norm!

Now that we know why sleep is important, let’s talk about ways to create a good relationship with sleep that will fuel your creativity rather than feeling like a waste of time.

Exercise and Stretch

Let’s face it, art is hard on the body! We often sit for hours at a time in one spot and do repetitive movements that are hard on the joints. Without our bodies we can’t do the art that we love to do, so it’s important to take care of our physical being so we can create for as long as possible! Try to get daily exercise (preferably outside in the fresh air and sunlight!), and make sure you do stretches during long creative sessions. Make sure you get up at least once an hour and move around, stretch your back, and also stretch your hands and wrists! 

I have an article with hand and wrist stretches for artists that you can read here for ideas of stretches to do!

https://tips.clip-studio.com/en-us/articles/7909

Don’t Work in Bed

Your bed should be a place for sleeping, not for working! I know that not every artist has a separate room they can go to for art, but at the very least try not to create art in your bed. If you must, have a small desk and chair somewhere else in your bedroom that is a dedicated creative space rather than sitting on your bed to draw. Your brain should associate bed with sleeping, not with working! So even though you may be tempted to sit in bed and draw, don’t do it!

Have a Consistent Routine

Make sure that you have a consistent sleep schedule where you get in bed at the same time every day and get out of bed at the same time as well. This will train your brain to be sleepy at the same time each day and make it easier to get an adequate amount of sleep.

Another part of this is having a wind-down routine. Make a relaxing and easy-to-follow nightly routine that you follow before bed each night and stick to it. This will also tell your brain that it’s time to rest, making it easier to fall asleep. A good nightly routine can be anything that relaxes you and lets you “unplug”, whether that’s reading a novel, taking a shower or bath, or having a hot drink. Try to make sure that screens are not part of your nighty routine, however! The blue light can tell your brain that it’s still time to be awake, and you may find yourself scrolling TikTok for four hours without realizing it!

Journal or Brain Dump Before Bed

I know I’m not the only artist who has laid awake in bed thinking of all the things that still need to be done on a project while also getting ideas for new things to make! That’s why journaling or brain dumping before bed can come in handy. 

For this you’ll just need a notebook, a Google Docs file, or even just the notes app on your phone! Sit down before your nightly routine and write down everything that needs to get done tomorrow, or any creative ideas that you’ve had over the day. Writing these things down helps get them out of your head and into something tangible, which then takes the “weight” off your brain and can help you relax. I’ve found that doing this helps quiet my brain because I know that the to-do list is written down and I don’t need to keep thinking about it to make sure that I don’t forget something. 

Talk to Your Doctor

If you are consistently having poor sleep and nothing seems to be helping, you may want to speak to a doctor. You may have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea that is making it difficult for you to get adequate rest. A doctor can order sleep testing (which can be done at home now!) and then refer you to other specialists as needed. Remember that sleep is a very important part of your creative health so if you’re having issues there is no harm in talking to a professional!

Conclusion

I know it can be very tempting to skip out on sleep in favor of having more time to create, but try thinking of sleep like it’s part of your creative process. Remember that it’s very important to get enough sleep so that you can continue making what you love.

For more information on CLIP Studio Paint, please visit https://www.clipstudio.net/en or https://graphixly.com