Night owls face tougher work-life balance and higher mental risks

Balancing work and personal life is more challenging for evening types, or "night owls", than for morning types, or "early birds". Evening types have a harder time recovering from work and are more likely to have mental health symptoms and diagnoses than morning types. Evening types also have less healthy lifestyles, although this does not explain the challenges with work-life balance or mental health issues that are emphasised among evening types compared to other circadian types.

This was shown in a recent study in psychology, which examined whether the challenges of work-life balance affect the association between the individual circadian rhythm and depression and anxiety disorders, also taking into account the possible differences in health behaviour between the circadian types. The study also examined whether difficulties in balancing work and other areas of life could further explain the role of individual circadian type in depression and anxiety disorders.

Conducted among 2,266 working-age individuals in Finland, the study divided the participants into morning types, evening types and intermediate types based on their circadian rhythm. The researchers examined anxiety and depression symptoms, whether work spills over into leisure time and how well the participants are able to recover from work, for example.

The results showed that mental health problems are particularly pronounced among extreme evening types. The association between being a night owl and anxiety disorders seemed to be related to poor recovery from work and challenges in balancing work and personal life.

Mental health issues among working-age people are a growing challenge. It is therefore important to understand how working life affects mental health risks and to identify who may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects.

This way, measures to promote work-life balance and recovery from work can be targeted at the right people. This will also promote well-being at work and reduce inequality in the workplace."

Ilona Merikanto, principal investigator of the research group

The study received funding from the Finnish Work Environment Fund.