Do sleep-wake preferences influence our risk of depression? A new study confirms that they do, and “morning people” are on the winning side, reports Medical News Today.

People’s chronotypes — that is, their sleep and waking preferences — could affect their well-being, studies have shown.

Whether we are early birds (early sleepers and risers) or night owls (late sleepers and risers) may affect our chance of developing mental health issues such as depression.

Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA, have decided to investigate the relationship between sleep-wake preferences and the risk of depression.