I don’t mean anymore than two nights in a row - I can barely keep my eyes open with that much lack of sleep. But if I stay awake for a night with good sleeping the night beforehand, it has a tendency to push me past any ideas block I have and for some reason gets my creative juices and thought processes running very well.
Any ideas why?
I am not suggesting you are this way but one night’s sleep deprivation is one of the most effective measures used to treat people that are suicidal. It does tend to change thought patterns to something more clear and cheery for many people. I used to pull all nighters before tests all the time in college and beside from the vomiting in the early morning hours, I always felt great and did very well on tests the next day.
We still don’t understand most of the brain at a behavioral level. I will guess that your feeling on this is still not well understood although clinical corollaries have been well noted.
Not suggesting this is relevant in your case, but there could be some cause and effect issues here. In my case, I’m as likely to be sleepless because I’m slightly stressed out and hyped up on adrenaline (work, relationship worries, whatever). Nothing like a shot of nature’s favorite stimulant to stimulate the thinking.
Me, I’ve just learned that within limits, to go along and work with it. If I can work on what’s bugging me to any effect, the stress goes down and eventually, I get the good night’s sleep.
The fact that you’re getting a good night’s sleep beforehand may also be helpful because you just feel rested, and thus have more energy to tackle the hard bits – show them muses who’s boss!
:dubious: Is something being hinted, here? 
I am pretty much stressed and high on adrenaline - coursework’s due in tomorrow (well, it’s today, now) and while I was trying to sleep I just kept thinking of good ideas to write down in it. Eventually I just gave up on sleeping and started writing up my notes - and (modesty mode off) I think they’re pretty damn good ideas. Up until then i’d been having a hard time ploughing through it, but I just kinda got on a roll, I guess.
Wow. I thought it was just ME who did that when sleep-deprived. If I wake up before 5am, no matter what time I have hit the sack the night before, I always feel a need to chunder. If I wake at 7am, I feel as bright as a button.
It could jsut be procrastination. Ie you dont work well until you know you have to get it done because the deadlines approaching, ie its more about motivation rather than sleep deprivation as such.
Otara
You say that now, but after a good night’s sleep you’ll wish you omitted those repeated references to pink unicorns and snakes aboard a plane.
My theory is sleep deprivation and/or alcohol change the way your mind works, you quit worrying about small details and can concentrate more clearly on one thing at a time. To a point.