Early morning or night owl?
If you’re a student of any kind then you’ll know that studying – whether you enjoy it or not – has to be done. Perhaps you’ve wondered when is the best time to study, or even if there is one.
Let’s see what we can find out about this topic and how you can apply it.
Studying in the Morning
Studying in the morning just makes sense to some people. It’s when they have the most energy so it would be easier for them to use their brain and better retain information. But there are pros and cons to waking up early.
Should You Wake Up Early?
When you wake up in the morning, and after the brain fog clears, your brain is ready to start taking in information which would seemingly be the best time to study. This is amplified if you have exercised prior to studying, such as going for a run or doing ten minutes of yoga. If you choose to study in the morning, you may find that you have a sense of accomplishment that can motivate you to be more productive throughout the day.
PSB Academy says, “Most people would think that morning is the best time to study, as our brains tend to be the sharpest in the morning after a refreshing night’s sleep and breakfast. The natural light available is also good for your eyes and keeps you alert. This period is great for opening a textbook to learn a new theory, or just reviewing your lecturer’s notes from the previous day because mornings generally give you a better recollection ability.”
Should You Not?
If you aren’t a morning person and you manage to wake up early and get to your desk, you might be in for an hour of staring blankly at your notes and not taking anything in.
Whilst the idea of waking up and being productive first thing in the morning may seem very attractive for some, it’s just not doable. If you find waking up and getting out of bed difficult, being productive on top of that would be near impossible. Unless you could manage to do all that, maybe studying in the morning isn’t for you.
Studying at Night
If you aren’t an early bird, then maybe this is the best time to study for you. You might not have the energy to study in the morning, but you might at night. But just as there were pros and cons for studying in the morning, there are pros and cons for studying at night.
Why Study at Night?
If you have early morning classes, studying in the morning will be difficult. But at night, most – if not all – of your responsibilities for the day have been completed and you can study without your brain wondering what you’re going to be doing for the rest of the day. And a bonus to studying at night is that everyone is asleep or getting ready to sleep, so there won’t be anyone to interrupt you every 10 minutes.
To add more weight to this argument, the London School of Business and Finance says, “On top of fewer distractions, there are additional benefits to studying at night. It has been proven that studying in the evening will help you consolidate your learning and improve your recall.
“Research shows that studying at night can also help you retain new skills like learning a new language. Studying before bedtime can ensure your memory consolidation process is at your peak.”
So, there’s that.
Why Not?
It’s far too easy to say, “I’ll do it just now” especially when it’s late at night and you’re on the sofa after a long day. Everything else will seem more important than sitting down and studying. And if you do eventually get around to it, it’ll be quite late and you’ll already be tired for the next day. Will you still be able to get in a decent 8 hours of sleep?
Depending on your schedule and whether you’re an early bird or a night owl will definitely impact when the best time to study is.
Test out a few different times to see when is the best time for you, but make sure that you’re studying whilst still maintaining a proper sleep schedule.