They say the early bird catches the worm — probably because night owls are too depressed to do it.
Night owls may be smarter than early birds, but research suggests they are also more likely to develop diabetes and struggle with anxiety and depression.
But why night owls — people who like to go to bed late and wake up late — seem to struggle mentally more than early birds — who prefer early nights and early mornings — has remained a question.
Now, new research out of the University of Surrey, England may awaken us to the answer.
One school of thought on this chronotype divide is that being forced into a schedule that doesn’t align with their internal clocks is to blame for the increased risk of depression in night owls — a phenomenon known as “social jet lag.”
“Although early birds do better with societal norms like traditional 9-to-5 jobs, health-wise, both can be equally healthy as long as they get enough sleep and stick to a consistent schedule,” Dr. Dylan Petkus, a sleep specialist and founder of Optimal Circadian Health in Florida, previously told The Post.
“The real issue arises when night owls are forced into early schedules, leading to sleep deprivation and subsequent health problems.”
Another theory is the “mind after midnight” hypothesis, which posits that being awake after midnight lends itself to bad decisions and impulsive behavior — which would make sense, since research shows night owls tend to smoke cigarettes and drink more booze.
In this new study, published in the journal PLOS One, researchers asked 564 university students to complete a questionnaire about their sleep patterns, rates of mindfulness and rumination, alcohol use and levels of anxiety and depression.
Only 38 of the students identified as early birds — 252 were night owls.
According to lead author Dr. Simon Evans, a senior lecturer in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Surrey’s School of Psychology, this is not quite as surprising as it sounds.
“Eveningness peaks in young adulthood, with up to 50% of young adults being classed as having a late chronotype,” Evans told BBC Science Focus. “This is an issue because having a late chronotype is linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety and substance use.”
In keeping with previous findings, their research showed night owls were at greater risk of depression — in part due to social jetlag and, consequently, poorer sleep quality.
“Being a night owl is very common in young adults,” said Evans. “Mental health among young people is a major concern, so work and educational schedules could be adapted to better suit night owls, allowing them to sleep better.”
The study also found that the night owls did drink more — although, interestingly enough, night owls who consumed alcohol had fewer depressive symptoms than those who didn’t.
Researchers believe that may be because those who drank did so in moderation and — being college students — imbibed in social settings, both of which can counteract the depressive effects of alcohol.
What’s more intriguing is that rumination and mindfulness were found to be significant mediating factors — night owls were more likely to spend their evenings worrying and engaging in negative thinking, whereas early birds were better at “acting with awareness.”
“A likely explanation is a tendency for rumination to occur at the end of the day rather than in the morning,” the study notes. “Since evening chronotypes have a delayed circadian rhythm and stay awake later into the night, this gives them extra time to ruminate, potentially increasing their risk of depressive symptomatology.”
The researchers defined “acting with awareness” as “the ability to be non-judgemental, and pay attention to both positive or negative emotions and thoughts with equanimity.”
As such, the researchers believe that meditation and other techniques designed to quiet the mind and make people feel more present could serve as successful ways of lowering the risk of depression in night owls.
Well, that and less booze.
“Our research shows that strategies to foster higher mindfulness — such as guided meditation and mindfulness exercises — would be useful, as well as focusing on having better sleep quality, and trying to lower alcohol use,” Evans said.
