ANN/dpa/THE STAR – Poor sleep and drinking too much could drive depression in night owls, research suggests.
Experts already know that night owls are at higher risk of poor mental health compared to early risers, but until now, it has been unclear why.
A new study published in the journal PLOS One suggests some reasons and expands on what is already known.
Experts from England’s University of Surrey questioned 546 university students about sleep patterns, whether people were able to focus on their feelings and thoughts in the present moment (mindfulness), tendencies to ruminate, alcohol use, and depression and anxiety levels.
The research indicated that night owls had a higher tendency for depression compared to morning types, and were notably more inclined to ruminate.
Researchers said this backs up earlier studies indicating that individuals are more likely to worry and ruminate at the end of the day.
The study additionally revealed that morning lovers were more likely to act with mindfulness, meaning they act with awareness of their emotions and thoughts.
Those who stayed up were also significantly more inclined to drink alcohol and also experience poorer sleep quality.
The authors concluded: “With many young adults experiencing poor mental health, these study findings are particularly important – many young adults tend to stay up late and the results point to how interventions could be implemented to reduce their risk of depression.”
