9 months ago
Science Explores When You Learn Best: Morning vs. Evening Person
Some people are naturally 'morning people' and do their best thinking early in the day, while others are 'evening people' and are sharper later on.
Scientists have found that 'evening people' often score better on tests, especially in the late afternoon and evening.
'Morning people' do best in the morning.
There are also people in between.
The best time for you to learn is when your body naturally feels most awake and alert, which is called your chronotype.
Getting enough sleep, about 7 to 9 hours, is super important because sleep helps your brain remember things and think clearly.
If you don't sleep enough, your brain won't work as well.
Sleeping soon after learning also helps your brain remember information better.
Cognitive performance is linked to an individual's chronotype, categorized as morning, evening, or intermediate.
Evening types tend to perform better on cognitive tests and show higher alertness during evening hours.
Morning types typically have lower cognitive scores but peak in alertness between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
Adequate sleep (7-9 hours) is crucial for memory consolidation, reasoning, and information processing.
Sleep immediately following learning significantly improves memory retention and recall.
- Who
- Dr. Shankar Balakrishnan, Clinical Lead of Neurology at Rela Hospital, Chennai
- What
- Discussed the science behind chronotypes and their impact on learning and cognitive performance.
- Where
- Chennai's Rela Hospital is mentioned as the affiliation of the expert.
- When
- The article presents scientific insights and research findings.
- Why
- To understand whether morning or evening is the optimal time for learning and cognitive function.
Key facts
- Chronotype Categories
- Morning, Evening, and Intermediate types
- Evening Type Cognitive Boost
- 13.5% and 7.5% higher scores in analyses
- Morning Type Peak Performance
- 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
- Recommended Sleep Duration
- 7-9 hours
- Impact of Sleep Restriction
- Critical thinking can fall by 17%, working memory by 13%
- Memory Consolidation Benefit
- Higher rates when learning is followed by sleep
Quotes
Dr. Shankar Balakrishnan
Clinical Lead of Neurology at Chennai’s Rela Hospital
“In studies analysed, these individuals typically present the lowest cognitive scores compared to intermediate and evening types. However, their alertness and productivity peak between 8:00 and 10:00 am — which is when they should handle complex, high-focus tasks.”
indianexpress.com
“In one analysis, evening types scored about 13.5% higher than morning types in one group and 7.5% higher in another. Evening chronotypes show better attention and alertness between 4–6 pm — their optimal cognitive window.”
indianexpress.com
he
Dr. Shankar Balakrishnan
“Fast sleep spindles, which occur in non-REM sleep, are especially linked with retaining weakly encoded material. So if you barely grasped a concept during the day, sleep might just save it.”
indianexpress.com
“Chronic sleep restriction leads to slowed responses and a drop in attention and reasoning. After just a few days, critical thinking can fall by 17%, and working memory by 13%.”
indianexpress.com
the expert
an expert quoted in the article
“These individuals tend to score higher than pure morning types — around 10.6% and 6.3% higher in two analysed groups — but lower than the evening types. The closer your work or study schedule aligns with your biological rhythm, the sharper your focus, retention, and performance will be.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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