Get in sync with your brain's power hours

By Sara Reistad-Long

updated 8:48 a.m. ET May 20, 2008

Your energy level isn't the only thing about your body that varies over the course of the day.

Your brain obeys its own rhythm, too — based largely on your sleep pattern, exposure to light, and genetic makeup — and getting in a groove with its tempo can make you healthier, happier, and more productive.

For example: "Since adults over 40 are generally morning types, they would most likely score better on an IQ test at 9 a.m. than at 4 p.m." says Lynn Hasher, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto.

As cutting-edge research by Hasher and other brain experts shows, you can burn more calories from exercise, work more efficiently, and even have better sex by learning how to sync up to your brain's power hours. Here's your daily guide.

7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Prime time for: Passion

"The perfect moment for bonding with your spouse is right when you wake up," says Ilia Karatsoreos, PhD, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University. The reason: Levels of oxytocin (known as the "love hormone" to some) are sky-high upon waking, explains Karatsoreos, making it the best time for intimacy of all kinds.

Tap into it: 

• Make love or cuddle
• Remind your partner how much you love him
• Call your child at college (so long as it's not the weekend!)
• Write a thank-you note to a friend or relative

These are the hours to strengthen your relationship with the most important people in your life. And if you wake up feeling frisky and need more than just cuddling, there's good news. Your husband's brain is on nearly the same wavelength; British researchers found high morning oxytocin levels in men — whether they were age 25 or 70 — that gradually decreased as the day wore on.

9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Prime time for: Creativity

Find your best hour to exercise Your ideal time of day for working out "depends on if you're a morning lark or a night owl," says neuroscientist Ilia Karatsoreos, PhD. According to researchers, there are at least two distinct chronotypes, a term that describes your body's response to circadian rhythms and in large part determines your optimal exercise hour. Want to switch yours? If you've never been a morning workout person but that's the only time you can do it, convert with these tips from Prevention's fitness director, Michele Stanten: 1. Exercise with a friend — you're less likely to hit the snooze button if it means standing up someone. 2. Lay out your gym attire the night before. Some people even sleep in their workout clothes! 3. Keep a similar sleep and wake schedule on the weekends, to avoid slipping out of routine come Monday morning. 4. Put your alarm clock across the room, so you're forced to get out of bed to turn it off. 5. Cancel your newspaper delivery so you'll have to walk (briskly) to the store in the morning to pick it up.

Your brain now has moderate levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which in reasonable amounts can actually help your mind focus, says Sung Lee, MD, secretary of the International Brain Education Association. It's present at any age: A University of Michigan study found that college students and retired adults were mentally quick in the morning — but among older subjects, sharpness declined in the afternoon.

Tap into it:

• Develop a new idea
• Write a presentation
• Brainstorm solutions to challenges large or small
• Have an important conversation with your doctor

Take on tasks that require analysis and concentration. "From middle age on, you're more alert early in the day," says Carolyn Yoon, PhD, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Michigan who worked on the study. Schedule discussions that involve personal or family matters, as others will be sharp during these hours as well.

11a.m. to 2 p.m.
Prime time for: Tough tasks

By now, levels of the sleep hormone melatonin have dipped sharply from their late evening and early morning peaks. This means you're more ready to take on a load of projects, according to German researchers: Last year, they found that reaction time and the ability to accomplish several to-dos were strong in the middle of the day.

Tap into it:

• Tackle your errand list, voice mails, or e-mails
• Give a presentation to a client or boss
• Iron out a tough problem with your spouse

Tear through your to-dos: Because of your mental quickness, this time of day is best for doing. One warning: Cross items off your list one at a time, says René Marois, PhD, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Vanderbilt University. Attempts to juggle tasks put additional demands on your brain, he says. Faster reaction time can also help you respond briskly to your husband's retorts during a dispute.

2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Prime time for: A break

To digest your lunch, your body draws blood away from your brain to your stomach, says Lee. Aim to eat a lunch closer to 2 p.m., as the midday meal can make you wish there were a couch close by. Your body's circadian rhythm (the biological "clock" that regulates sleep and wakefulness) is also in a brief down phase during this time, according to a recent Harvard study.

Tap into it:

• Meditate or pray
• Read a magazine, the newspaper or Web sites
• Go for a brisk stroll

Take this time for yourself: Steer clear of work-related material and peruse your favorite publications instead. If you're at work and need to fight off drowsiness, Lee suggests a quick walk around the block or drink of water — both will get your blood moving away from your stomach and toward your head. "Water increases vascular volume and circulation, promoting blood flow to your brain," he says.

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