Are you often long awake? Then this study is bad news for you

People who tend to go to bed are called by scientists for ‘evening chronotypes’, while morning people are referred to as ‘morning crownotypes’.

Previous data has shown a connection between evening chronotypes and depression, but according to psychologist and co -author of the study, Simon Evans, the new study goes further by explaining why.

« Our research showed that the context could be explained by the fact that night -active people reported lower levels of everyday mindfulness, generally poorer quality of sleep and higher alcohol consumption, » he told Newsweek.

« The relationship between chronotype and depression was fully mediated by certain aspects of mindfulness (especially to deal with attention), sleep quality and alcohol consumption, » Evans explained.

This means that these factors appear to explain why night -active people report more depressive symptoms – which was the most interesting finding in the new study.

The researchers collected data from 546 university students between April 2021 and March 2023 via an online questionnaire. Out of the participants, 31 percent were men and 68 percent women, and everyone was between 17 and 28 years old.

Participants were asked about their sleep habits, when on the day they had the most energy, their tendency for pondering, depression level, mindfulness practices and weekly alcohol consumption.

Almost half of the participants were classified as the evening type – and they showed significantly more depressive symptoms, higher levels of rumination and greater alcohol consumption.

Evening chronotypes also had significantly poorer quality of sleep, which can be explained by ‘social jet lag’ and the accumulation of sleep deprivation.

It is believed that morning people deal with more attention because they sleep better and have less fatigue and inattention. Conversely, night -active people have poorer quality of sleep and are therefore more likely to be tired during the day and less presence in the present.

The study emphasizes that dealing with attention promotes focus on the present and reduces attention to negative experiences of the past or concerns about the future. According to researchers, this can reduce the risk of depression by promoting a more balanced time perspective.

Since almost 50 percent of participants were considered night -active, it is important to investigate the connection between late bed times and depression to find ways to prevent it, Evans explains.

« Depression is a serious health problem that affects many people around the world. It affects daily functioning and can have an impact on both work and education. It also increases the risk of developing other serious illnesses such as heart disease and stroke, » he says.

« Our research shows that strategies for promoting mindfulness (such as guided meditation and mindfulness exercises), better quality of sleep and lower alcohol consumption will benefit the mental health of these people. »

Evans also believes that adaptation of working hours or school times could be a help as poor sleep quality was identified as a significant risk factor for depression.

He suggests that later meeting times in the morning will allow students to sleep longer and thus achieve better sleep.