Chrono@Work has been involved in the Good Night app (Goedenachtapp) from SoFoKleS (Social Fund for the Knowledge Sector) since 2023. This app gives night workers tools to deal with their night shifts in a more optimal way. The app offers tailored advice and videos of thematic roundtable discussions featuring experts, including Marijke. Until recently, the app focused on four core themes of night work: sleep, the biological clock, scheduling, and nutrition. At the end of August, a fifth theme, ‘exercise’, was added, with an accompanying roundtable discussion. Exercise is a complex but essential aspect of staying fit as a night worker. On the one hand, regular exercise and good physical condition support overall health, in particular important for night workers. On the other, extreme exercise after a night shift is probably not that good, because working in night shifts is a top sport in itself. Additionally, there is an even more complex side: the timing of physical activity is also important. Exercising during the day, especially after your sleep in the afternoon in daylight, can help the biological clock stay in sync. However, this advice only applies when someone works only a few night shifts in a row, and it is therefore desirable to keep the clock in the natural day-night rhythm.
The roundtable discussions (in Dutch) can be viewed at: https://sofokles.nl/project/goedenachtapp/