This study investigated the impact of time of day and sleep on motor skill acquisition and consolidation using a finger-tapping task. Three groups trained at 10 a.m., 3 p.m., or 8 p.m. Acquisition (immediate post-training improvement) showed no time-of-day difference. However, consolidation (24-hour retention) revealed significant differences: the 8 p.m. group showed improvement, while the 10 a.m. group deteriorated, and the 3 p.m. group stabilized. Control experiments confirmed sleep's crucial role in the evening group's consolidation. These findings suggest that evening training, close to sleep, optimizes motor skill consolidation.
