Last Updated on 19 August 2017
The January 16th issue of TIME magazine has a major section on “How to Sharpen Your Mind.”
One of the key articles explores the best times of day for both “Morning People” and “Night Owls” to create, problem solve, rejuvenate and rest. I’ve re-worked the graphics presented in TIME for this post.
For the Morning Person
TIME says, for the early riser, “creativity peaks early in the wake cycle before distractions can impede the brain’s imaginative focus.”
The most productive time for Night Owls is “long after they’ve shaken off morning grogginess.” While working past midnight can be effective, experts agree “sleeping less than the optimal eight hours can impair cognitive performance.”
- Low Concentration
- – the body’s clock shifts, lowering concentration.
- Creativity – best time for brainstorming and open-ended thinking. Before the brain is flooded with the day’s stimuli.
- Problem Solving – The brain is warmed up and at its peak for activities from analysis to memorization.
- Rejuvenation – ‘To stay sharp, experts suggest refreshing the mind with daily exercise and brain-building activities like reading, artistic exploration, and puzzle solving.’
Check out Michael Kaplan’s “The Best Time to Do Everything”
… TIME references this book in the article.
For more, pick up this issue of TIME.