What time of day is your brain the sharpest?

Education concept. Student studying and brainstorming campus con

Are you a student wondering what time of day your brain is the sharpest, making it most effective for revision? Attending a Half Term Christmas Revision course is vital to produce good results in exams. However, there’s not much point in revising if your brain is distracted and drifting elsewhere. So, what time should you revise to obtain maximum performance?

On average

Whilst it differs from person to person, research has shown that learning is usually the most effective at certain times. These are from 10 AM to 2 PM and then from 4 PM to 10 PM. This fits in with the school and college hours, as well as afterschool revision. This sharpness can usually be achieved with a good number of sleeping hours, and a regular diet, exercise, and breaks. Science has recommended 8 hours of sleep to help keep your brain alert in the daytime hours.

In general, whilst all-nighters are common with students, they should be avoided. Having an irregular sleep schedule can mess up the times that your brain is sharpest. This can make a fixed revision timetable less effective as you could become less focused. Therefore, a regular sleep schedule will help you determine when your brain is the sharpest. It’s vital to know this information to help you maximise your revision effectiveness and get the grades you want.

It depends on the person

Whilst there’s been scientific research in this area, it might not apply to everyone. Chronotypes vary from person to person, meaning that the times of productiveness also differ. Some people are horrified by the thought of getting up early. However, other people thrive off an early start and feel energised when they get up in these hours. Chronotypes are the underlying natural circadian rhythms determining what times people prefer to sleep and when they are most energetic.

A teacher smiling at camera in classroom

Morning people

People with a lion chronotype can wake up naturally very early and feel the most energised in these hours. They should therefore revise in the morning before this productiveness dwindles in the afternoon. When afternoon comes, they should then complete less strenuous tasks rather than ineffective revision.

Night owls

Night owls commonly have the wolf chronotype, meaning that they feel most energised in the evening. Therefore, these people’s brains will be sharpest later, meaning that they should take advantage of these productive hours with revision. There’s no point for these types of people to revise early in the morning – it just won’t be effective.

Therefore, you should be able to see that the time your brain is sharpest does vary from person to person. Scientific research has come up with the average periods when people’s brains are alert. However, this doesn’t apply to everyone. If you want to maximise the effectiveness of your revision, it might be worth following a few steps. You could take an online chronotype quiz to work out what cycle you are on. This could then help you figure out your most productive and sharpest hours. So, there is no set answer to when a brain is sharpest. But you should play to your strengths and work when you are most energised.

If you, or your parents would like to find out more, please just get in touch via email at info@exam.tips or call us on 0800 689 1272

If you, or your parents would like to find out more, please just get in touch via email at info@exam.tips or call us on 0800 689 1272

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