Do it in the morning
Feeling anxious at night? Science says you're not alone. People typically feel happier in the morning and more anxious late at night, a new study by University College London has found. Our mood also seemingly peaks between 6.00 and 10.00 on the weekend, while the study suggests we experience a second wave of happiness during the early evenings.
The study, published earlier this month, tracked almost one million responses from 50,000 participants in England over two years. Next to happiness and anxiety, researchers also recorded symptoms such as satisfaction, loneliness, and depression.
”This is a group trend, not a one-size-fits-all rule,” Dr Feifei Bu, co-author of the study, told The European Correspondent. ”People can reflect on their own rhythms and structure their days mindfully. Mental health support services may also consider adjusting resources to match fluctuating needs across the day – for instance, prioritising late-night availability.”
Existing research seems intuitive: mental health fluctuates based on the day of the week and month of the year. Generally, I'm likely to feel more chipper on a summery Saturday than, say, a gloomy Thursday in February. However, prior to this study, relatively little research had examined how the time of day affects our wellbeing. As a long-standing advocate for the morning, I feel thoroughly vindicated by these findings.