Posted on 08/22/2007 3:57:15 PM PDT by blam
Source: University of Adelaide
Date: August 17, 2007
Brains Learn Better At Night
Science Daily — If you think that the idea of a morning person or an evening person is nonsense, then postgraduate student Martin Sale and his colleagues from the University of Adelaide have news for you.
Martin Sale demonstrates the technique to stimulate nerve activity in the brain. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Adelaide)
They have found that the time of day influences your brain’s ability to learn—and the human brain learns more effectively in the evening.
And by identifying at what point in the day the brain is best able to operate, rehabilitation therapy can be targeted to that time, when recovery is maximised.
“Our research has several future applications,” Mr Sale says. “If the brains of stroke patients can be artificially stimulated to improve learning, they may be able to recover better and faster.”
The researchers used a magnetic coil over the head to stimulate nerve activity in the brain, and linked it to an electrical stimulus of the hand.
Mr Sale, from the School of Molecular and Biomedical Science at the University of Adelaide, discovered that the brain’s capacity to control hand movements is influenced by the time of day.
His study found that larger changes are induced when the experiments are performed in the evening, as compared with mornings.
“Such time-of-day variations in function are not unusual. Organisms are adapted to the continual change in light and dark during a 24 hour period to avoid predators and to reproduce faster,” he says.
“For example, the petals of many flowers only open during the day, while some organisms only reproduce at night. In humans, these rhythms are governed by a variety of hormones that control many bodily functions.”
Martin Sale is one of 16 young scientists presenting their research to the public for the first time thanks to Fresh Science, a national program sponsored by the Federal and Victorian Governments which identifies new and interesting research being done by early-career scientists around the country.
Ah, so my late night cramming was actually good for me? I feel vindicated.
Not exactly a reason to homeschool, but still informative to those interested in educational issues.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Micky Mouse ears on a chick with her hair tied back?
And thick glasses too.
Man, you know what I like!.
Which brain?
when i started working during the day i had to take my college courses at night... and i have to say, i did exponentially better in those evening courses... i am a night owl, however... after i finished school, i began working later during the day... 10:00 am-7:00 pm... and then i would do more work at home... i did all my writing in the evening... i’m a homeschool mom now... i still do most of my prep at night when everyone else is asleep...
hahahahaha!
Exactly! Me too. I have always been a night time reader and maybe this is why. During the day my body wants to be very active. Nighttime is the time for sitting and reading for me.
My study time is much better morning and afternoon,evening is family time.
Creative writing seems to flow most freely at night, late at a night ... with a glass of Ruby Port and cranrasberry juice, and ... Oh! Yeah, things work better at night. Don’t daydream as much, eh?
That’s strange, my brain has never worked as well at night — especially after a few drinks. In fact, when I think about it, my eyes and my taste in women always deteriorate after dark as well.
I’ve always been an evening person. Mornings suck.
It’s quieter at night so work is much more productive, but interruptions, while less frequent, are much more serious. When the cops show up next door it is usually 3-4 AM.
Most vampires feel that way, you know.... *chuckle*
Heard a couple weeks ago that Kathleen Turner still has ‘it,’ and that is the best news of the week.
Yeah, I miss those interludes. Some of my best stories have been generated by the criminal wave that used to be.
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