a A study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatryand released on CNN, based on sleep data collected from screens used by more than 85,000 volunteers in the UK’s Biobank study (a database containing genetic and health information for more than half a million Britons).
For the purposes of this research, researchers compared this sleep information with subjective reports on well-being and mood and found that individuals with an unbalanced sleep cycle are more likely to experience depression and anxiety.
Read also: Depression: Largest study to date sheds light on genetic risk factors
“The health problems associated with being a ‘night owl’ are most likely a consequence of being a ‘night owl’ living in the morning world, which leads to disruption of the body’s circadian rhythms,” explained sleep expert Kristen Knutson. Professor of Neurology and Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Previous research had already discovered an association between depression and sleep cycles.
According to Jessica Terrell, study leader and eminent professor at the School of Medicine, University of Exeter, UK: “Challenging our internal biological clock appears to be closely related to levels of depression, and greater imbalance is associated with greater chances of developing depression.”
Adding, “Although the strongest evidence is from workers changing shifts, some studies suggest that these individuals have a higher prevalence of depression and lower levels of health and well-being.”
“If you are a morning person, you are less likely to be depressed and more likely to report greater well-being. This may be due in part to the fact that morning people are less likely to have ‘social jet lag,’” concluded Terrell.
Read also: COVID-19: Fear of empathy has doubled the impact of the pandemic on mental health
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