Next time when you try to get a raise, make sure you bring it up at the right hour. According to a new survey from a German company, the key to persuasion may have more to do with timing than with logic.

Let's say you have a very important request to make.

Do you think it'll be better to do so in the morning?

Perhaps it could work for you, but a new survey by a German pharmaceutical company advises against it.

According to its findings, most people would not reach their natural emotional peak of the day until after lunch.

So the best time to ask for something significant, like a raise or a promotion, would be 1pm rather than the early hours of the working day.

But the "golden period" doesn't last too long. Around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, office workers tend to get sleepy, and they may get more easily offended than usual.

While the survey itself may just reflect a general trend instead of offering infallible rules, it helps to keep in mind that sometimes "when to ask for things" may be just as important as what to ask for.