The brain is a fickle beast 鈥� at some times as sharp as a tack, at others like a fuzzy ball of wool. At least some of that variation can be explained by fluctuations in circadian rhythms, which means that, in theory, if you do the right kind of task at the right time of day, life should run a little more smoothly.
The exact timing of these fluctuations varies by about 2 hours between morning and evening types, so it is difficult to give any one-size-fits-all advice. Nevertheless there are a few rules that it鈥檚 worth bearing in mind whatever your natural waking time.
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It鈥檚 an idea not to do too much that involves razor-sharp focus in the first couple of hours after waking up. Depending on how much sleep you have had it can take anything from 30 minutes to 4 hours to shake off sleep inertia 鈥� also known as morning grogginess. If you want to think creatively, though, groggy can be good (see 鈥�Mind expanding: Creativity on demand鈥�).
鈥淚f you want to think creatively, morning grogginess can be good鈥�
If hard work can鈥檛 wait, though, the good news is that researchers have backed up what most of us already know 鈥� a dose of caffeine helps you shake off sleep inertia and get on with some work ().
Another tip is to time your mental gymnastics to coincide with fluctuations in body temperature. Studies measuring variation in everything from attention and verbal reasoning to reaction times have shown that when our core temperature dips below 37 掳C the brain isn鈥檛 at its best.
By this measure, the worst time to do anything involving thinking is, unsurprisingly, between midnight and 6am. It is almost as bad in the afternoon slump between 2pm and 4pm, which has more to do with body temperature than lunch 鈥� studies of people who have no lunch or just a small one have the same problem. All in all, the best time to get stuck in is between mid-morning and noon and then again between 4pm and 10pm.
There may be a way to hack the system, though. Studies have shown that body temperature changes and alertness also work independently of the internal clock, so a well-timed bit of exercise or hot shower can work wonders.
Competitive sports, though, are worth leaving until the end of the day. Studies have shown that reaction times and hand-eye coordination get progressively better throughout the day, reaching a peak at around 8pm.
After that, there鈥檚 time for a little more focused energy before the body cools down, the brain slows and there鈥檚 nothing more to do with it but dream.
Read more: 鈥�Mind expanding: 7 ways to fine-tune your brain鈥�
