Night owls are more likely to be depressed what you can do about it

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 so...