Do you get out of bed in the morning without any major hassle, or do you push the alarm until the last possible second? How does lifestyle relate to the likelihood of depression?
According to a study published in Molecular Psychiatry, being a "night owl" - people who perform better in the afternoon and evening and sleep late - can affect mental health.
The study used sleep data collected from activity monitors placed in the hands of more than 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank Study, which gathers in-depth genetic and health information for more than half a million Britons.
The researchers compared sleep information with self-report of mood and found that people with a poor sleep cycle were more likely to report depression, anxiety and have less feelings of well-being.
"The health problems associated with being a nocturnal owl are likely to be the result of being a nocturnal owl living in the world of a breakfast person, which leads to a rhythm disorder," said (via CNN) sleep Kristen Knutson, an associate professor of neurology.
Challenging our internal body clock seems to be very much related to depression levels.
"If you are a breakfast person, then you are less likely to have depression and are more likely to report higher well-being," said Dr. Jessica Tyrrell, a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter University School of Medicine in the United Kingdom. United.
Other possible reasons include more exposure to sunlight for those who get up early. Indeed, light therapy is a treatment for some forms of depression.
Previous studies have pointed out that if you are a nocturnal owl and not a morning bird it is defined in your DNA, but you can change it .
