Is Your Bedtime Secretly Affecting Your Mood? It's Time For A Change
Key takeaways
- Author: Ava Durgin May 14, 2026Assistant Health Editor By Ava Durgin Assistant Health Editor Ava Durgin is the former Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen.
- The study followed more than 500 university students and found that “evening types” tended to have:
- These factors together explained why night owls experienced more depressive symptoms than their early-rising peers.
Why this matters: practical guidance grounded in recent research or expert insight.
Author: Ava Durgin May 14, 2026Assistant Health Editor By Ava Durgin Assistant Health Editor Ava Durgin is the former Assistant Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She holds a B.A. in Global Health and Psychology from Duke University.Image by Austin Rogers / Stocksy May 14, 2026If you’re someone who hits their stride late at night—scrolling, streaming, or finishing up work long after everyone else has gone to bed—you’re not alone. But according to new research, your chronotype (a fancy term for whether you’re a morning bird or a night owl) may play a surprisingly big role in how you feel emotionally.
A recent study1 found that people who naturally stay up late were more likely to report symptoms of depression, and researchers think it has less to do with sleep hours and more to do with mindfulness, lifestyle habits, and alignment with your internal clock.
The study followed more than 500 university students and found that “evening types” tended to have: