New Study Suggests People Who Do This Might Have Lower Risk of Depression

Here’s some good news for people who like to wake up with the roosters. Hopping (or even crawling) out of bed may help keep depression at bay.

According to the results of a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, whether you’re an early bird or a night owl may influence how susceptible you are to depression.

Researchers studied 32,470 women, average age 55, who participated in a nurses’ health study over the course of four years. They discovered early risers had a “moderately lower risk of depression” than colleagues who consider themselves intermediate or late risers.

Lead study author Céline Vetter says the results could be explained partly by the fact that people who get up early are exposed to more light than people who slumber longer. Light exposure is known to lessen the risk of depression.  

Of course, there are a number of other things that factor in, including hormones, brain chemistry and genetics.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that many commonly prescribed medications may also cause depression.

We can’t do much about genetics or the way our brain is wired, but if you want to see if getting up earlier affects your mood, there’s no reason not to give it a whirl.

That can be easier said than done, though.

It’s tough to get up early if you have trouble falling asleep in the first place. If you toss and turn before drifting off, a free smartphone app might help you relax and get you a first-class ticket on the train to sleepy town.

If you snooze the minute your head hits the pillow but find it difficult to wake up in the morning, try a free smartphone alarm app. Whether you want to be gently cajoled out of bed or launched like a cannonball, there’s an app for that.

If you think sleep issues are affecting your mood and health, be sure to consult with a doctor. Chronic sleep deprivation can cost you – literally.

Lisa McGreevy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She has her fair share of sleep issues, but she has them completely under cont—zzzzzzzzzz