There certainly seems to be something to it. This isn't a new phenomenon: there is a story that Archimedes around 250 BC couldn't solve a problem until he stopped working on it and took a bath. While this story may not be true, it does show that these "eureka moments" were common not just today but also thousands of years ago.
I'm not a psychologist but from what I understand, "dual process theories" state that humans have two distinct thought processes. System 1 is fast, instinctive, and unconscious; it answers questions like "2+2=?" System 2 is conscious, deep thought; it answers questions like "if 2x+3=17, x=?". System 1 is the default thought process, but it can be suppressed by system 2. I would love if anyone who knows more knows how this might be connected.
To be fair, the problem Archimedes was stuck on was how to measure the volume of an irregular body. Immersing his irregular body in the bath kinda gave him a clue.
I'm not a psychologist but from what I understand, "dual process theories" state that humans have two distinct thought processes. System 1 is fast, instinctive, and unconscious; it answers questions like "2+2=?" System 2 is conscious, deep thought; it answers questions like "if 2x+3=17, x=?". System 1 is the default thought process, but it can be suppressed by system 2. I would love if anyone who knows more knows how this might be connected.