Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.

<h4>Background</h4>Chronotype influences risk of depression, with evening-types at higher risk, although the reasons for this are uncertain. Potential mediating factors include mindfulness, sleep quality, rumination, and alcohol consumption, but research is lacking.<h4>Methods</...

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Main Authors: Gulin Yatagan Sevim, Tina Yuet Law, Simon L Evans
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319915
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author Gulin Yatagan Sevim
Tina Yuet Law
Simon L Evans
author_facet Gulin Yatagan Sevim
Tina Yuet Law
Simon L Evans
author_sort Gulin Yatagan Sevim
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Chronotype influences risk of depression, with evening-types at higher risk, although the reasons for this are uncertain. Potential mediating factors include mindfulness, sleep quality, rumination, and alcohol consumption, but research is lacking.<h4>Methods</h4>We explored the role of these factors in the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms amongst young adults, using cross-sectional data collected from a university student sample (N =  546).<h4>Results</h4>Evening-types had significantly higher levels of depression symptoms, poorer sleep quality, and lower levels of 'acting with awareness' and 'describing', as well as higher rumination and alcohol consumption. Mediation analyses demonstrated that the link between chronotype and depression was fully mediated by 'acting with awareness', 'describing', sleep quality, and alcohol consumption.<h4>Limitations</h4>Only subjective measures were employed, and due to the cross-sectional design, no causal inferences can be made.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The mediation results shed light on the crucial role of specific mindfulness facets, sleep, and alcohol consumption for explaining why evening types are at higher risk of depression; findings have import for potential interventions aiming to reduce depression risk amongst young adults in particular.
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spelling doaj-art-b4fdba7d3bb24d289d6bc8b2792aa85a2025-08-20T03:47:45ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01203e031991510.1371/journal.pone.0319915Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.Gulin Yatagan SevimTina Yuet LawSimon L Evans<h4>Background</h4>Chronotype influences risk of depression, with evening-types at higher risk, although the reasons for this are uncertain. Potential mediating factors include mindfulness, sleep quality, rumination, and alcohol consumption, but research is lacking.<h4>Methods</h4>We explored the role of these factors in the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms amongst young adults, using cross-sectional data collected from a university student sample (N =  546).<h4>Results</h4>Evening-types had significantly higher levels of depression symptoms, poorer sleep quality, and lower levels of 'acting with awareness' and 'describing', as well as higher rumination and alcohol consumption. Mediation analyses demonstrated that the link between chronotype and depression was fully mediated by 'acting with awareness', 'describing', sleep quality, and alcohol consumption.<h4>Limitations</h4>Only subjective measures were employed, and due to the cross-sectional design, no causal inferences can be made.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The mediation results shed light on the crucial role of specific mindfulness facets, sleep, and alcohol consumption for explaining why evening types are at higher risk of depression; findings have import for potential interventions aiming to reduce depression risk amongst young adults in particular.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319915
spellingShingle Gulin Yatagan Sevim
Tina Yuet Law
Simon L Evans
Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
PLoS ONE
title Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
title_full Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
title_fullStr Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
title_full_unstemmed Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
title_short Mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults.
title_sort mindfulness mediates the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms in young adults
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319915
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