What is ‘circadian’ depression? It may be the reason why you can’t sleep

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Cite

Sacks, R. (2026, October 25). What is ‘circadian’ depression? It may be the reason why you can’t sleep. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/25/health/circadian-depression-may-be-the-reason-why-you-cant-sleep/

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New York Post · collected 2026-10-25 · by Rachel Sacks

Quick Summary

A new subtype of depression called "circadian depression" has been identified by researchers, affecting one in four people with the condition. This type is driven by a disrupted circadian rhythm, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, poor concentration, and sleep disturbances similar to jet lag. Criteria for diagnosing this subtype include seasonal symptom changes, delayed midpoint of sleep typically between 2-4 AM, social jet lag on workdays compared to non-working days, an evening chronotype, longer sleep duration if possible, and increased morning tiredness. The study, based on data from 11,380 participants in the Australian Genetics of Depression Study, also found that those with circadian depression have a higher risk for health issues like weight gain, inflammation, cardiovascular problems, and ADHD.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-25, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

Recent research has identified circadian depression as a new subtype of the complex condition, characterized by disruptions to the body's internal 24-hour rhythm, or circadian clock. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that one in four people with depression could have this type, caused by a dysregulated body clock. This disruption can lead to symptoms similar to jet lag, such as fatigue, poor sleep quality, and changes in behavior. The research also indicated that participants with circadian depression experienced more side effects from antidepressant medications and found the treatments less effective than other subtypes of depression. Understanding these nuances could help tailor treatments for individuals, potentially improving their outcomes.

Written for “Circadian Depression Explained” on 2026-10-25, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Circadian Depression Explained
Health · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 31% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
The Guardian
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 19% hedged 4 of 21 📰 publisher trust 66
“While both articles discuss 'circadian depression', Article A reports on a new research study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, while Article B appears to be an explanatory piece about the concept of circadian depression.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
16
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
31%
5 of 16 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Health
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-25 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

New York Post · 13819 article(s) · 34 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 34 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Rachel Sacks
34 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Depressive symptoms may look similar, but there are various underlying causes.
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Also by Rachel Sacks
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 34 articles by Rachel Sacks →

Topics

Australian Genetics of Depression Study ScienceAlert the British Journal of Psychiatry

Subjects

ScienceAlert ORG · 2× Australian Genetics of Depression Study ORG · 1× Emiliana Tonini PERSON · 1× Ian Hickie PERSON · 1× the British Journal of Psychiatry ORG · 1×

Narrative

The research also found that participants with circadian depression experienced more side effects from antidepressant medications and found the treatments less effective. “Depression is not a uniform illness and understanding the characteristics of different subtypes mean that we can give people earlier access to treatments that will be most effective for them,” first study author Emiliana Tonini told ScienceAlert.
framing: mixed · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-25
🔮 Depressive symptoms may look similar, but there are various underlying causes.

Claims (16 extracted, 5 hedged)

Depressive symptoms may look similar, but there are various underlying causes. uncertain
symptoms → look → ?
While depressive symptoms like fatigue, low mood or low energy can look similar in many people, the complex condition can be caused by a combination of factors, leading to different subtypes of depression. Recent research identified a new subtype that may be driven by the body’s internal clock, disrupting sleep and creating a perpetual state of jet lag. uncertain
that → look → lag
Since depression is caused by several factors, researchers have been looking into biological issues that could be causing symptoms, including the circadian rhythm or clock. uncertain
that → cause → rhythm
The circadian clock is the body’s internal 24-hour rhythm, managing hormones, digestion, mood and sleep-wake cycles. asserted
clock → manage → hormones
“When it’s off, you feel jet-lagged all the time,” lead researcher Ian Hickie told ScienceAlert. asserted
Hickie → ’ → ScienceAlert
“You feel tired, you feel exhausted, you gain weight, you can’t concentrate, you sleep poorly and your behavior changes.” The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that one in four people with depression could have “circadian depression” caused by a dysregulated body clock. uncertain
people → feel → clock
Looking at data from 11,380 participants in the ongoing Australian Genetics of Depression Study, the researchers found a quarter of participants met at least three of six criteria that defined the circadian depression subtype. asserted
that → look → subtype
One is that symptoms will change with the seasons, due to the length of days and natural light shortening. asserted
symptoms → change → days
The second criterion is that the midpoint of sleep (the exact time halfway between the moment you fall asleep and the moment you wake up) is delayed compared to the general adult population, roughly between 2 and 4 a.m. Those with circadian depression also experience social jet lag, with their sleep midpoint differing by several hours on workdays than on non-working days. asserted
midpoint → fall → days
This means their sleep patterns don’t match the typical timing that society is designed around. asserted
society → mean → that
A fourth criteria point is having an evening chronotype, which previous research has suggested may lead to more depressive symptoms due to increased bad decisions and impulsive behavior the later someone stays up. uncertain
someone → have → decisions
The last two criteria found that the participants would sleep longer than the average person, if given the chance, and reported feeling very tired in the morning. asserted
participants → find → morning
The research also found that participants with circadian depression experienced more side effects from antidepressant medications and found the treatments less effective. “Depression is not a uniform illness and understanding the characteristics of different subtypes mean that we can give people earlier access to treatments that will be most effective for them,” first study author Emiliana Tonini told ScienceAlert. asserted
Tonini → find → ScienceAlert
The study found those with the circadian subtype were more likely to experience weight gain during depressive episodes, had a higher risk for inflammatory and cardiovascular health problems and neurodevelopmental disorders, like ADHD. asserted
those → find → ADHD
They also experienced depression earlier and reported more severe symptoms, such as mania, psychosis and suicidality. asserted
They → experience → mania
Since typical medications are less effective and this subtype is linked to the body’s internal clock, researchers suggest treatments should target the circadian rhythm instead, using light therapy and melatonin. asserted
treatments → link → therapy
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