The effects of stress may be alleviated when its impact or a decreased stress-resilience are detected early. This study explores whether wearable-measured sleep and resting HRV in police officers can be predicted by stress-related Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) measures in preceding days and predict stress-related EMA outcomes in subsequent days. Eight police officers used an Oura ring to collect daily Total Sleep Time (TST) and resting Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and an EMA app for measuring demands, stress, mental exhaustion, and vigor during 15–55 weeks. Vector Autoregression (VAR) models were created and complemented by Granger causation tests and Impulse Response Function visualizations. Demands negatively predicted TST and HRV in one participant. TST negatively predicted demands, stress, and mental exhaustion in two, three, and five participants, respectively, and positively predicted vigor in five participants. HRV negatively predicted demands in two participants, and stress and mental exhaustion in one participant. Changes in HRV lasted longer than those in TST. Bidirectional associations of TST and resting HRV with stress-related outcomes were observed at a weak-to-moderate strength, but not consistently across participants. TST and resting HRV are more consistent predictors of stress-resilience in upcoming days than indicators of stress-related measures in prior days.
This work examined window/door opening as means of bedroom ventilation and the consequent effect upon occupants’ sleep, using data from 17 healthy volunteers. Bedroom CO2 level, temperature, and relative humidity were measured over 5 days, for two cases: open window or door (internal, bedroom door), and closed window and door. Participant filled questionnaires and sleep diary provided subjective measure of sleep quality. Actigraphy objectively monitored the participants during sleep. Additionally, a FlexSensor, placed under pillows of participants, detected movement during sleep. Average CO2 level for the Open conditions was 717 ppm (SD = 197 ppm) and for Closed conditions was 1150 ppm (SD = 463 ppm). Absolute humidity levels were similar for both conditions, while Open conditions were slightly cooler (mean = 19.7°C, SD = 1.8°C) than Closed (mean = 20.1°C, SD = 1.5°C). Results showed significant correlations (P < .001) between actigraphy data and questionnaire responses for: sleep latency (r = .45), sleep length (r = .87), and number of awakenings (r = .28). Of all analyzed sleep parameters, questionnaire‐based depth of sleep (P = .002) and actigraphy‐based sleep phase (P = .003) were significantly different between Open and Closed conditions.
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Nightshift workers go against the natural sleep–wake rhythm. Light can shift the circadian clock but can also induce acute alertness. This placebo-controlled exploratory field study examined the effectiveness of light glasses to improve alertness while reducing the sleep complaints of hospital nurses working nightshifts. In a crossover within-subjects design, 23 nurses participated, using treatment glasses and placebo glasses. Sleepiness and sleep parameters were measured. A linear mixed model analysis on sleepiness revealed no significant main effect of the light intervention. An interaction e ect was found indicating that under the placebo condition, sleepiness was significantly higher on the first nightshift than on the last night, while under the treatment condition, sleepiness remainedstable across nightshift sessions. Sleepiness during the commute home also showed a significant interaction effect, demonstrating that after the first nightshift, driver sleepiness was higher for placebo than for treatment. Subjective sleep quality showed a negative main effect of treatment vs. placebo, particularly after the first nightshift. In retrospect, both types of light glasses were self-rated as effective. The use of light glasses during the nightshift may help to reduce driver sleepiness during the commute home, which is relevant, as all participants drove home by car or (motor) bike.
Our unilateral diet has resulted in a deficiency of specific elements/components needed for well-functioning of the human body. Especially the element magnesium is low in our processed food and results in neuronal and muscular malfunctioning, problems in bone heath/strength, and increased chances of diabetes, depression and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, it has also been recognized that magnesium plays an important role in cognitive functioning (impairment and enhancement), especially for people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson disease, Alzheimer, etc). Recently, it has been reported that magnesium addition positively effects sleep and calmness (anti-stress). In order to increase the bioavailability of magnesium cations, organic acids such as citrate, glycerophosphate and glycinate are often used as counterions. However, the magnesium supplements that are currently on the market still suffer from low bio-availability and often do not enter the brain significantly.The preparation of dual/multiple ligands of magnesium in which the organic acid not only functions as a carrier but also has synergistically/complementary biological effects is widely unexplored and needs further development. As a result, there is a strong need for dual/multiple magnesium supplements that are non-toxic, stable, prepared via an economically and ecologically attractive route, resulting in high bioavailability of magnesium in vivo, preferably positively influencing cognition/concentration
-Chatbots are being used at an increasing rate, for instance, for simple Q&A conversations, flight reservations, online shopping and news aggregation. However, users expect to be served as effective and reliable as they were with human-based systems and are unforgiving once the system fails to understand them, engage them or show them human empathy. This problem is more prominent when the technology is used in domains such as health care, where empathy and the ability to give emotional support are most essential during interaction with the person. Empathy, however, is a unique human skill, and conversational agents such as chatbots cannot yet express empathy in nuanced ways to account for its complex nature and quality. This project focuses on designing emotionally supportive conversational agents within the mental health domain. We take a user-centered co-creation approach to focus on the mental health problems of sexual assault victims. This group is chosen specifically, because of the high rate of the sexual assault incidents and its lifetime destructive effects on the victim and the fact that although early intervention and treatment is necessary to prevent future mental health problems, these incidents largely go unreported due to the stigma attached to sexual assault. On the other hand, research shows that people feel more comfortable talking to chatbots about intimate topics since they feel no fear of judgment. We think an emotionally supportive and empathic chatbot specifically designed to encourage self-disclosure among sexual assault victims could help those who remain silent in fear of negative evaluation and empower them to process their experience better and take the necessary steps towards treatment early on.
In de nasleep van de toeslagenaffaire (2017) staan publieke dienstverleners meer dan ooit voor de uitdaging om op menswaardige wijze dienstverlening te bieden. Met name in reguliere werkprocessen en klantsystemen die op grote schaal dienstverlening bieden, wordt de zogenaamde ‘Menselijke Maat’ vaak nog onvoldoende geboden. Digitale toepassingen worden daarbij eerder gezien als oorzaak (‘computer says no’) dan als oplossing. Waar de menselijke maat ontbreekt, en dienstverlening mogelijk afkoerst op onmenselijke behandeling of beknellende leefsituaties, ontwikkelen gemeentes en uitvoeringsorganisaties maatwerkoplossingen voor individuele casuïstiek, zoals bijvoorbeeld maatwerkateliers. De effectiviteit van dit soort oplossingen is hoog, echter is de capaciteit beperkt doordat het beroep doet op intensieve, persoonlijke inzet en betrokkenheid van ervaren medewerkers. Deze initiatieven vragen ook veel van de beleidsmatige, ethische en humane besluitvaardigheid van medewerkers, bijvoorbeeld bij het vinden van de juiste balans tussen individueel maatwerk en rechtvaardigheid voor allen; dilemma’s die veelal in collegiaal overleg worden geadresseerd. Vanwege deze beperkte reikwijdte van maatwerkoplossingen zijn publieke organisaties op zoek naar het potentieel van digitalisering als sleuteltechnologie om de menselijke maat kunnen bieden in reguliere werkprocessen en eerstelijns burgerinteracties. Op deze vraag richt voorliggend project zich. Uit eerder RAAK-Publiek onderzoek weten we dat het mogelijk is om digitaal persoonlijke en proactieve dienstverlening te bieden. Via een ontwerpgerichte, multidisciplinaire onderzoekaanpak, met en voor professionals werkzaam in de dienstverlening naar burgers, gaan we nu een stap verder richting het bieden van handelingsperspectief voor professionals richting schaalbare, digitale, en menswaardige dienstverlening. Vanuit inzichten in de belangen van burgers, medewerkers en organisaties met betrekking tot menselijke maat worden, in co-creatie met consortiumpartners, iteratief procesinterventies en interactieontwerpen ontwikkeld en getest. Het project resulteert in een praktische handleiding met ontwerprichtlijnen en -proces voor professionals werkzaam bij publieke dienstverleners om, in hun eigen context, innovatieve digitale oplossingen voor schaalbare dienstverlening vanuit menselijke maat vorm te geven.
