A new study suggests alcohol use may be one reason why people who stay up late have a greater risk of depression. Sleep quality could be another.
It’s no secret that your sleep habits can impact your health…both physical and mental.
For night owls, the evidence shows a greater risk of depression, and the results of a new study may help explain why.
Researchers had nearly 550 college students, 17-28 years of age, answer questions about their sleep patterns, mindfulness, rumination tendencies, alcohol use, and depression and anxiety levels.
The results confirmed previous findings… Students with an evening chronotype – meaning they like to stay up late – were at higher risk for depressive symptoms.
But they also identified likely causes. On average, night owls had significantly higher alcohol intake, poorer sleep quality and acted with less mindfulness than morning people.
The authors say, “With many young adults experiencing poor mental health, these study findings are particularly important.”
They say the results point to intervention strategies that may help reduce depression risk among night owls, such as mindfulness training.
Additional studies are needed to determine whether these findings apply to other age groups.
Source: PLOS One
Author Affiliations: University of Surrey
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