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Could it matter when you take your pills? Yes. Doctors are increasingly using chronotherapy, where medication is coordinated with biological rhythms to treat conditions. The practice stems from research showing that some illnesses are worse at different times of day.

Hypertension. Blood pressure peaks when you wake, which is why heart attacks and strokes tent to strike between 6 a.m. and noon. If your doctor prescribes a beta blocker that does not have 24-hour effectiveness, it may be better to take it in the morning.

Asthma. Symptoms peak between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. That’s when the body’s levels of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol needed to keep airways open are at their lowest. Steroid tablets taken at 3 p.m. off-set the loss, and other common treatments can be used at bedtime.

Osteoarthritis. For those with the most pain in the morning, take ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory medications the night before. For those with evening pain, take you medication at noon.