Chronotype refers to an individual’s preference for being active during certain times of the day, with morning types favoring early rising and evening types preferring late nights. Research investigates how evening chronotypes affect the mental health of young adults. Studies indicate evening chronotypes prefer late-night hours, so they face higher probabilities for depression. Multiple studies indicate that evening preference affects depression levels while pointing to rumination of repetitive thoughts about negative experiences as one potential mediator alongside sleep quality, alcohol intake, and mindfulness. Research has shown minimal understanding regarding the processes by which psychological elements link time preference to depressive symptoms. The research analyzes these hypothetical mediators for depression among young adults who face increased risk and belong to evening chronotype groups.
A total of 546 undergraduate students at the University of Surrey participated in the research study. Their mean age stood at 19.77 years. A survey using the Reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) allowed participants to be sorted into morning, intermediate, and evening chronotype groups. The research utilized several validated assessment tools to assess depressive symptoms via Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale measurements along with Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire tests of ruminative behaviors and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire assessments of mindfulness and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index assessments of sleep quality and self-reported weekly alcohol intake.
The research focused on examining how evening chronotypes affect depression levels, followed by a study of meditation as well as sleep characteristics and alcohol intake as possible mediating variables. Non-parametric ANCOVA was used for statistical analysis of the chronotype groups while adjusting for age and sex. The analysis used a parallel mediation model to assess how rumination, along with mindfulness sleep, sleep quality, and alcohol consumption, acted as mediators between evening chronotypes and depression. Significant variations existed between chronotype groups regarding their depression levels, mindfulness practices, sleep quality, and alcohol usage rates.
Evening chronotypes demonstrated higher depressive symptoms compared to intermediate types when study data was analyzed (p = 0.002), while morning and evening chronotypes showed no significant difference. Studies indicate that eveningness as a trait makes individuals more prone to depression, particularly in comparison to intermediate types. Researchers found that morning chronotypes showed better performance than evening types in the “acting with awareness” parts of the mindfulness questionnaire, with p = 0.002 as supporting evidence.
The ability of morning chronotypes to observe their current emotional states appears to help them prevent depressive symptoms. The research found no significant differences in mindfulness-based on whether participants identified as evening types versus intermediate types. Evening chronotypes experienced poorer sleep quality than both morning and intermediate chronotypes because of significant differences (p < 0.001). Research has established that evening individuals experience poorer sleep patterns that increase their vulnerability to depression.
Research showed that evening chronotypes consumed significantly more alcohol than intermediate (p = 0.001) and morning (p < 0.001) chronotypes. The link between alcohol consumption and depression risk supports the observation that evening chronotypes tend to use alcohol for the management of their mood. Results from the parallel mediation model demonstrate multiple significant indirect relationships. The two mindfulness subscales describing and acting with awareness both functioned as important intermediating variables during the analysis. Depressive symptoms increased as eveningness tendency increased while mindfulness levels decreased accordingly. Depressive symptoms worsened when poor sleep quality acted as a significant mediator in the group between alcohol consumption and mood levels. The tendency to consume alcohol in the evening was coupled with an increase in depressive symptoms among evening chronotypes.
This study produced divergent results regarding rumination, which did not significantly mediate the relationship between chronotype and depression in this study. The research findings support earlier evidence that shows the evening chronotype enhances depression susceptibility in young adults. The study reveals that sleep quality and both mindfulness levels and alcohol use are major factors that explain why evening chronotypes have a higher risk of depression. The combination of poor sleep quality together with lower mindfulness, especially “acting with awareness,” and more alcohol consumption creates a vulnerability to depression in evening chronotypes.
Research data implies that specific mindfulness-based treatment approaches should focus on developing the “acting with awareness” aspect to help evening chronotypes minimize their depression vulnerability. The results hold strong implications because mindfulness-based mental health interventions have recently gained widespread acceptance. Mental health interventions targeting the specific needs of evening chronotypes should focus on sustaining the relevant mediators so that depression rates can be lowered in young adults. Future research should explore how these mediators affect depression risk throughout different age ranges and multiple population samples while developing methodologies that address sleep quality enhancement and alcohol reduction for evening chronotypes.
References: Yatagan Sevim G, Law TY, Evans SL. Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults. PLoS ONE. 2025;20(3):e0319915. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0319915
