Get in sync with your brain's power hours

3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Prime time for: Collaboration

"The brain is pretty fatigued by now," says Paul Nussbaum, PhD, an adjunct associate professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and author of "Your Brain Health Lifestyle." That doesn't mean you're stressed, however: University of Michigan scientists found that cortisol levels usually decline in women by late afternoon.

Tap into it:

• Brainstorm with co-workers
• Strength-train

Although you're not as mentally sharp as earlier, you're more easygoing, so plan a low-pressure meeting for now. If you've already left work, pick an activity that is as different from your job as possible, suggests Nussbaum. Exercise is a perfect one: Studies show that grip strength, manual dexterity, and other physical skills are at their strongest by the evening — but if you work out too late, the residual adrenaline can interfere with sleep. A gym session right before dinner solves the problem.

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.

6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Prime time for: Personal tasks

Between these hours, researchers have found that the mind enters something called "wake maintenance," when its production of sleep-friendly melatonin is at an all-day low. As a result, chances of getting tired now are next to none. Studies also show that your tastebuds are lit up during these hours because of circadian variations in hormone levels.

Tap into it:

• Run errands
• Clean a long-overdue room in your house
• Enjoy quality time with your family members
• Make a delicious meal

Keep your energy up by exposing yourself to the last of the day's serotonin-stimulating sunlight. Now may be a good time to walk the dog or walk yourself to the corner store. And because you're now more alert but no longer at work, direct your renewed burst of mental energy toward your husband and kids, and maybe some friends; you're bound to be pretty engaging about now.

8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Prime time for: Relaxing

There's an abrupt transition from being wide awake to feeling sleepy as melatonin levels rise quickly, report Australian and British researchers. Meanwhile, levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter tied to perkiness, start to fade: "Eighty percent of serotonin is stimulated from exposure to daylight, so now you're slowing down," says Rubin Naiman, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona and sleep program director at Miraval Resort in Tucson.

Tap into it:

• Unwind by watching a funny movie
• Try a low-key, repetitive activity, such as knitting

Now's the time to ease into relaxing, "mindless" activities (save the Sudoku for the morning). "By nightfall, when your brain is tired, this is a good way to bring yourself down, like walking a lap or two after a big workout," says Naiman.

10 p.m. onward
Prime time for: Hitting the sack

Your brain is looking to knit together all it learned today, which it does during sleep. Your top priority should be getting a full night's rest. Sleep can inspire insight: In a recent study, more than half of those taught a task thought of an easier way to do it after 8 hours of sleep. Adjusting lighting can help: Dim the rooms you occupy after dinner to let your body know the day is ending, suggests Naiman. In a few hours, your brain will be ready to start all over again.

Tap into it:

• Curl up with a good book
• Write in your journal
• Drift off while reading something you want to remember in the morning

Whatever helps you get to sleep — and it may take adjustments over time — follow your routine consistently. Just make sure you sign off early enough so you get the National Sleep Foundation's recommended 7 to 9 hours of shut-eye.

MORE FROM MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health Section Front

Suicides raise worries about recession’s real cost Chill: A little stress may help you live longer Suicide prevention groups protest ‘The Office’ Tokyo train stations use lights to stem suicides Why memory lane is such a mortifying stroll Kids on psych drugs have alarming weight gain Self-help course may have led to her suicide Study: Working past retirement boosts health Youth driving discussions about suicide Mediterranean diet cuts depression risk Mental health Section Front   Add Mental health headlines to your news reader: