Michigan Medicine — npj Digital Medicine — 18 February 2021
A new study using wearable device data from more than 2,100 early-career physicians over one year found that people with variable sleep schedules are at greater risk of depression and poor daily mood — comparable to the effects of staying up late or getting too little sleep. Those whose devices showed irregular sleep schedules scored higher on standardised depression symptom questionnaires and had lower daily mood ratings. “These findings highlight sleep consistency as an underappreciated factor to target in depression and wellness,” said lead researcher Dr. Srijan Sen. The study adds to growing evidence that wearable devices can help track behavioural and physiological factors of mental health at a much larger scale than previously possible.