The Best Times To Do Things

Nov 17th, 2010

EIGHT THINGS YOUR BRAIN IS GOOD AT . . . AND THE TIMES DURING THE DAY WHEN YOU SHOULD DO THEM:

Because of your body's internal clock, your hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day.  Which means your brain can be great at one thing early in the day . . . like problem solving . . . but bad at it later.

So here's a list from the magazine "Prevention" of the best ways to use your brain, depending on what time of day it is . . .

BETWEEN 7 A.M. AND 9 A.M. IS A GOOD TIME FOR BONDING.  Early in the morning, men and women both have high levels of the "love hormone" oxytocin

So let me just repeat that:  Right after you wake up is a good time to "BOND" with your significant other.  You're welcome, guys.

BETWEEN 9 A.M. AND 11 A.M. IS THE BEST TIME FOR CREATIVITY.  It's true for people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's, but it's especially true if you're older.  Once you hit your 50's and 60's, you're much more alert in the morning than at night.

And mid-morning is a good time for creativity because it's when you have moderate levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps you focus.

BETWEEN 11 A.M. AND 2 P.M. IS THE BEST TIME TO GET WORK DONE.  Research shows it's when we're most capable of doing several tasks back-to-back without screwing them up.

BETWEEN 2 P.M. AND 3 P.M. IS THE BEST TIME TO TAKE A BREAK.  Your body has to digest lunch, so it draws blood away from your brain and redirects it to your stomach.  That's one reason you always feel sluggish after a big meal.

But when you're at work and you CAN'T take a break, drinking a glass of water and walking around for a few minutes can help. Both will get blood moving back to your brain and wake you up.

BETWEEN 3 P.M. AND 6 P.M. IS THE BEST TIME TO COLLABORATE.  It's because your brain isn't as sharp as it was in the morning, but you're a little more easygoing because your body is producing less cortisol.

And it's also a good time to work out.  Studies show that early evening is when your grip strength, dexterity, and other physical skills are at their strongest.  But working out any later can interfere with your sleep.

BETWEEN 6 P.M. AND 8 P.M. IS THE BEST TIME TO SOCIALIZE OR RUN ERRANDS.  It's when your production of the sleep hormone melatonin is at an all-day low, which means you should still have plenty of energy left.

BETWEEN 8 P.M. AND 10 P.M. IS THE BEST TIME TO RELAX.  It's when your body starts to naturally get ready for sleep, and your melatonin levels start to shoot up, while your serotonin levels start to fade.

AND FROM 10 P.M. ON IS THE BEST TIME FOR SLEEP.  But again, this is for an "average" person.  And if you start working the graveyard shift, your body naturally adjusts.  The important thing is to always get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. 

Prevention