A smartphone app called Circadian Rhythm for Mood (CRM) can help reduce the recurrence of mood episodes in individuals with major depression or bipolar disorder, according to a
study published in
The American Journal of Psychiatry.
CRM uses passive data such as step count, heart rate, ambient light, and sleep timing to calculate an individual’s circadian stability, then provides actionable feedback on how to improve stability.
Why It’s Relevant
Circadian rhythm disruption is common in people with major depression and bipolar disorder, and the symptoms arising from that disruption—irregular sleep, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating—have been linked to worsening mood and illness relapse. Stabilizing patients’ sleep-wake cycles is therefore an important part of integrative therapy.
By the Numbers
- Ninety-three adults with major depression or bipolar disorder (but currently euthymic) received CRM or a sham app that provided non-circadian-related feedback for 12 months; all participants continued with their regular psychiatric care.
- Over the study period, there were 68 recorded mood episodes (48 depressive, 20 hypomanic/manic episodes), corresponding to 91 episodes per 100 person-years.
- Individuals using the sham app were 3.4 times as likely to experience a recurrence of any mood episode than those using CRM.
- Individuals using CRM also experienced a longer time to recurrence and shorter episode durations than those using the sham app.
What’s More
Subgroup analysis found that CRM is likely beneficial when it comes to preventing the recurrence of both depressive and hypomanic episodes. However, there were only four manic episodes—two in each group—so the benefits of CRM on mania are yet to be determined.
The Other Side
CRM was developed and tested solely in Korean adults, which may limit the generalizability of the findings, since circadian characteristics vary by age and race/ethnicity. The researchers also couldn’t reliably capture time-based changes in the participants’ usual psychiatric care—such as switching or discontinuing medications—which may have affected the risk of episode recurrence.
Takeaway Message
The researchers said that CRM has the potential to be a strong complement to medication and psychotherapy for mood disorders—and one that can be scaled up for routine use. “The integration of active and passive data enables real-time monitoring and personalized feedback, potentially empowering patients to better manage symptoms and support circadian rhythm stability,” the researchers wrote.
Related Information
Source
Ji Won Yeom, et al. Circadian rhythm stabilization app to prevent mood episode recurrence in patients with mood disorders: a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial. The American Journal of Psychiatry. Published online June 24, 2026. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.20251008
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/nambitomo)