Staying Up Late Linked to Depression—Researchers Reveal Why

A new study has explained the correlation between regularly staying up late and having a higher risk of depression. Researchers from the University of Surrey, England, revealed that mindfulness, sleep quality and alcohol consumption may link being a night owl with a greater risk of depression among young people. Those who regularly stay up late are refered to by scientists as evening chronotypes, while early risers are referred to as morning chronotypes. While previous data has shown a link between evening chronotypes and depression, paper author and psychologist Simon Evans said that the new study goes even further by explaining why. "Our research revealed that the relationship could be explained by night owls reporting lower levels of day-to-day mindfulness, as well as generally lower sleep quality and higher alcohol consumption," he told Newsweek.

"The link between chronotype and depression was fully mediated by certain aspects of mindfulness (acting with awareness in particular), sleep quality and alcohol consumption," Evens explained. This means that these factors seem to explain why night owls report more depression symptoms, and was the most interesting aspect of the findings." Researchers collected data from 546 undergraduate students between April 2021 and March 2023 using an online questionnaire. Of those participants, 31 percent were male and 68 percent were female, with all subjects aged between 17 and 28 years old. Participants were asked to outline varying facets from their sleep cycle, their energy peak time, rumination habits, depression levels, mindfulness practices and their weekly alcohol consumption. Almost half of the participants were classed as evening types—and they showed significantly more depressive symptoms, higher levels of rumination, and higher alcohol consumption. Evening chronotypes also had significantly poorer sleep quality, explainable by social jet lag and an accumulation of sleep debt (the cumulative effect of not getting sufficient sleep). It's thought that morning people act with more awareness because of their tendency to sleep better and have less fatigue or inattention. Whereas, because night owls have poorer sleep quality, they are more prone to daytime sleepiness and less awareness in the moment. The study highlights that acting with awareness encourages a focus on the present and reduces the amount of attention paid to negative past experiences or anticipation of the future. In turn, it's thought that this can reduce the risk of experiencing depressive symptoms by promoting a more balanced time perspective. Given that almost 50 percent of participants are considered night owls, studying the link between late nights and depression is important to identify ways to reduce depression, Evans explains. "Depression is a serious health issue which affects many people worldwide. Depression affects daily functioning and can impact a person's work and education. It also increases the risk of going on to develop other serious health conditions including heart disease and stroke," he said. "Our research shows that strategies to encourage higher mindfulness (such as guided meditation and mindfulness exercises), better sleep quality, and lower alcohol use, would positively benefit the mental health of these individuals." Evans believes that adapting work or educational schedules could be helpful, given that poor sleep quality was identified as a major factor in the risk of depression. He suggests that later start times in the morning would allow students to sleep in longer and therefore better. Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Reference

Sevim, G. Y., Law, T. Y., & Evans, S. L. (2025). Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults. PLOS ONE, 20(3), e0319915. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319915