Ever wonder why you’re hyper-alert in the late morning hours and sluggish by the afternoon? You might blame the midnight monster movie marathon and three cups of coffee, but there may be more at work, because your body follows its own internal clock – a 24-hour schedule set by your circadian rhythms.
These circadian rhythms control your mood, physical ability, and mental state throughout the day. Basically, your body has alarms set to go off at certain points at the day that tell you how to feel. (You can see a visual of the circadian rhythms here.)
You can’t easily reset your internal clock to fit your schedule, but you can work with your body clock to get the most out of your day. It is all about doing the right thing at the right time. Just keep in mind that everyone’s internal clock varies slightly and if you wake up earlier or later, the pattern shifts accordingly. Check out our cheat sheet below to see how the typical person can beat the afternoon slump and get more done.
7:30 to 8:30 a.m. – Eat breakfast
Around 7:30 a.m. your body stops producing melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, and ramps up production of cortisol, a hormone that boosts your metabolism. Wake up and eat a healthy breakfast during this peak hour and you’ll not only feel better throughout the day, you’ll burn those calories off faster.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Tackle work projects
You’re highly alert between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. This is a good time to tackle difficult to-do list items or work on math problems. For example, I update my Mint budget and plan out my monthly bills in the late morning hours. I make fewer mistakes than when I try to use a calculator in the evenings.
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. – Nap
The mid-afternoon slump isn’t just a myth. Your body goes through highly alert peaks and restful slumps throughout the day. Around 2:00 p.m. your alertness starts to fade, making it an ideal time for a power nap if you can swing it.
3:30 to 5:00 p.m. – Memorize text
Your reaction time is at its fastest at 3:30 p.m. This is also the time when your long-term memory retention is at a peak, making 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. a good time to review information you want to retain – like studying for a test, learning a new language, or memorizing a speech for work.
5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Work out
Between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. your muscles are at their strongest, your pain tolerance is high, and your cardiovascular system is working great. This is a great time to go for a run, lift some weights, or take a cardio class at a gym.
6:30 to 8:00 p.m. – Take it easy