Well-being under chronic stress: is morningness an advantage?

Abstract

This study investigated whether morningness was associated with better quality of life in individuals experiencing chronic stress. Thirty-one informal primary carers and 35 non-carers completed self-report measures of time-of-day preference, stress and well-being. The data were collected as part of a broader study of circadian rhythmicity under conditions of prolonged stress. There was a significant interaction between diurnal preference and caregiving, with morningness associated with better well-being outcomes in those providing long-term home care. It appears that chronic arousal, but not perceived stress, plays a role in this morningness–carer interaction, with lower arousal levels also evident in carers with a greater preference for morningness. These results point to a possible role for circadian influences in the relationship between stress and subjective well-being.