Investigation of the relationship between chronotype, physical activity and well-being in 18-25 aged youths

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between chronotype, physical activity levels, and well-being in young adults aged 18-25. The study was conducted with 293 students (103 women and 190 men) enrolled at the Faculty of Sports Sciences, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University. Data were collected using the "Morning-Evening Human Circadian Rhythm Questionnaire," the "International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)," and the "WHO-5 Well-Being Scale." The average age of the participants was 21.36 ± 1.76, with 64.8% being male and 35.2% female. The mean WHO-5 score was 13.97 ± 4.81, the chronotype score was 45.46 ± 9.69, and the total MET value was 13979.74 ± 11439.30. The majority of participants (56.3%) were found to have an intermediate chronotype. Men's severe, moderate, and total physical activity scores were significantly higher than women's (p<0.05). Men also had significantly higher mean WHO-5 scores than women (p = 0.042). A significant difference in well-being was found between chronotype groups (p = 0.001). The well-being levels of individuals who were close to being morning types and intermediate types were found to be higher than those who were close to being evening types and definitely evening types. A significant difference was also determined between chronotype and moderate physical activity (p = 0.001). The moderate activity levels of participants who were close to being morning types and intermediate types were higher than those who were close to being evening types and definitely evening types. Furthermore, significant positive relationships were observed between physical activity and well-being. These findings indicate that a tendency toward morningness is associated with higher physical activity and better psychological well-being in young adults. They reveal that circadian alignment and regular physical activity play an important role in improving the quality of life of young individuals.