According to a study of 2,266 Finnish workers, night owls are up to three times more likely to receive treatment for depression and anxiety compared to morning owls. The study also highlighted poor work-life balance as a key contributing factor.
Mericant others. We showed that night owls had more problems with work spillover into their personal lives and poor recovery from work, and that these factors moderated and partially mediated the worsening of night owls’ mental health. Image credit: Wok & Apix.
Dr. Ilona Merikant from the University of Eastern Helsinki and her colleagues stated, “Night owls face an increased risk of not only mental health issues but also reduced work capacity.”
However, the reasons behind these risks accumulating in night owls as opposed to other circadian types or the role of work-life balance in these associations remain unclear.
Researchers analyzed data from Finland’s population-based Healthy Finland Study, which surveyed working adults aged 20 to 65. They evaluated participants’ chronotype (identifying as a “morning person” or “evening person”) and assessed measures of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation, along with actual medical visits recorded in the Finnish National Register.
Participants who identified as definite night owls were more likely to be under treatment for depression or anxiety disorders, had higher rates of psychological distress and general anxiety, and were more likely to report suicidal ideation compared to definite morning people. Moderate night owls exhibited a similar but somewhat less pronounced pattern.
The study also examined two aspects of work-life balance: the extent of work “spillover” into personal time and mental space and how well individuals recover from work-related stress. Night types reported significantly more challenges in both areas compared to morning types.
In one particular pathway, poor recovery from work was found to partially explain the link between being a night owl and severe anxiety disorders requiring medical treatment (accounting for about 13% of the association).
The mismatch between night owls’ natural rhythms and traditional daytime work schedules can lead to increased exhaustion at work and difficulties switching off afterwards, possibly due to tasks being pushed into personal time.
The researchers concluded that workplace policies addressing work-life balance could be instrumental in supporting the mental health of night shift workers, who make up an estimated 12-24% of working-age adults.
Dr. Mericant added, “Measures targeting work-life balance and work recovery can benefit the right individuals, promoting job satisfaction and reducing workplace inequalities.”
The findings were published in the journal Sleep Health.
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Ilona Mericant et al. 2026. The role of recovery from work and work-life spillover in the association between chronotype and mental health problems: A population-based study. Sleep Health 12 (3): 488-495; doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2026.03.001
Source: www.sci.news
