As the countdown to examinations begins, many Indian parents and stakeholders are once again brushing up their knowledge of the best time for study. Despite seeking clarifications, many of us still have the unanswered question, which timing is best for study?
It’s time to decode, and help you conclude if morning hours can create magic for your children or do they need to be night owls at this time of the year.
Let’s delve into some crucial facts to help you plan the upcoming exam season better!
Stay with us to discover which timing is best for study.
What Time Should You Study? Science-Backed Facts
Before we understand the best study time for any student, let’s start with some patterns of Indian students.
A study published by ‘India Today’ in 2018 disclosed that Indian students spend long hours throughout the day, with an extra focus on academics (extra classes and tuition).
Below is a synopsis:
| Category | % |
| Extra tuition for key subjects | 66% |
| Co-curricular activities | 72% |
| Play sports regularly in school | 74% |
| Taking extra classes | 58% |
Similarly, 40% of our Indian students spend 2 -4 hours daily on homework. While 37% of them spend an equal number of hours on homework even on the weekends.
Coming back to the question, which timing is best for study, and some more scientific facts. An interesting study reveals that our brain processes are related to the concept of chronotype or our natural time preferences to sleep. This means that an individual might feel more energetic in the morning hours after getting adequate sleep at night. And another one might prefer sleeping till late in the morning. And yet continue to study/work in the late hours of the day more productively.
Is There Any Best Time to Study?
As discussed in our previous section, a student’s sleeping is the perfect way to gauge the most productive study time. For students who prefer a full night’s sleep, morning study time can be good enough. On the other hand, if one prefers to study at night, the later hours of the day often boost productivity. These choices are highly subjective and vary from student to student. In fact, these patterns determine if one is a morning person or an evening person. Research proves that high sleepiness leads to low alertness in our brains. Hence, the best time for study is the time when the student’s brain is perfectly alert/active.
Owing to individual differences and other concepts that define brain functions, stakeholders can decide the ideal study time for students.
Do you know that the stupendous growth of the online education market in India (estimated to be 360 billion Indian rupees in 2024) has started a new trend of flexible study schedules?
If you wish to switch to a perfect schooling program that suits all types of students, connect with K8 School today!
Let’s jump to our next section, and discuss the unique advantages of respective studying time now.
What are the Benefits of Studying During Daytime
- Reduced chances of external noise
- Full energy
- Better mental stamina to boost productivity
- Zero disruption to sleep schedule
- Good start to the day
Some Benefits of Studying During Nighttime
- Fewer restrictions to wind up early
- Easy to manage other priorities and extra-curricular activities in the day
- Can help in revising information processed during day classes/study time
Be it the morning time, or the night, a student’s peak performance is often subject to some more common factors. Here’s a look at these.
What are the Factors that Determine the Best Time for Study?
Experts suggest some common factors that play a vital role in determining one’s productivity:
- Chances of distractions
- Multi-tasking/single-tasking
- Sleep quality and the duration for which one has been awake
- Individual ability to stay focused
- Drowsiness
In addition, parents/stakeholders must also understand that study time overload cannot help a student/child much. Research findings (with a sample student performance data) proves that students who studied for 3 hours performed at par with the ones who studied for 4 hours. Hence, the key to good planning is mindful time allocation and not the number of hours devoted to study. Let’s understand some key points to be kept in mind while planning a study schedule.
How to Find Your Best Time to Study?
Students/stakeholders can decide their preferences like morning study time or study at night using the following tips:
- Experimenting with problem-solving and understanding the level of efficiency.
- Identify the study time of the day that reduces academic stress.
- Gauge the time when procrastination habits are the least.
- Notice the most distraction-free time of the day, and try to align accordingly.
- Calculate the total study span and see how personal academic goals can be best achieved with these details.
- Focus on the quality of studies rather than the hours spent.
- Consider realistic factors like fatigue, age, and liking for particular subjects/topics, etc.
A sample chart to plan a child’s day (middle school grade example):
| Schedule | ||||||
| Classes Start Time | Classes End Time | Post School/Extracurricular activities | Self- Study Time | Target | Bedtime | Total Sleep |
| 8:00 | 14:00 | Cricket practice from 14:15 to 15:00 | 17:00 to 18:15 | 1 Lesson | 21:30 to 06:00 | 8 hours 30 minutes |
Final Thoughts
The current trends in the education industry have created a shift from traditional schooling to hybrid and fully online models. With these rapid changes, our Indian students need to be highly adaptable and understand which timing is best for study to make the most of the educational alternatives. The idea is to identify the individual biological clock and understand the timings of peak performance after a careful analysis. We hope this information will help you plan the right study schedule for your child and help him/her reach academic goals without any academic stress!
Before you leave, here’s another tip.
K8 School has much more in store for you!
Now discover the true power of online schooling in India with the best schooling option!
Connect with our team of experts to know more about our online programs for Nursery to grade 8!
Thanks for Reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there any best time to study?
All individuals have their preferences. Hence, the best time for study is subject to their lifestyle, sleep patterns, other priorities, etc. - What time should you study according to science?
To decide which timing is best for study, one needs to understand lifestyle preferences like sleep patterns, family priorities, and overall efficiency during different time slots in a day. - Mention some benefits of studying during daytime
A student can utilize natural light/conserve electricity, and study with a fresh mind in a distraction-free environment. - What are the benefits of studying during nighttime?
One can utilize the daytime for other important tasks and focus for long hours on studies during the nighttime. - How to find your best time for study?
You can experiment with some problem-solving tasks, and monitor the overall efficiency (such as the quality of information retention) to understand the best time for study.
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