Insomnia and stress are increasingly affecting the working population, significantly impacting mental health and leading to higher rates of sick leave. To address this, the Department of Neurology at Zealand University Hospital, in collaboration with Nordea Bank Næstved, Advodan Næstved, and Tryg Forsikring Næstved, will explore how our use of technology affects sleep and stress, and how health technology can promote healthy behavior in daily life.
Employees from the participating companies will be offered consultations with a researcher to discuss the challenges and needs they face in their everyday routines. Based on these conversations and a personality test, a personalized 12-week exercise program (e.g., boxing, running, swimming) will be designed for each individual. They will also be given a 3-month membership to a local gym that provides the chosen activity.
Since nighttime disturbances and exposure to blue light from screens before bed can negatively affect sleep, participants will be asked to remove phones and other technology from the bedroom during the study period. Participants will be given a watch to track their activity, sleep, and stress levels, and will have access to devices that alert them to muscle tension that could lead to headaches or repetitive strain injuries (such as “mouse arm”).
A data platform will be set up to automatically collect data from the devices, along with information from questionnaires and vital parameters. The platform will be used to aggregate and analyze this data for research purposes.
At the end of the 12 weeks, participants will meet with the researcher to review the program. Additionally, some will participate in interviews at the beginning and end of the trial to share their experiences with the technology and its effects on health and well-being.
The project will be expanded to other companies. This intervention redefines how workplaces can support employees’ mental health by: 1) focusing on individual resources and interests, 2) leveraging the latest knowledge about the positive and negative effects of technology, and 3) recognizing the connection between body and mind, embracing both aspects in the intervention.

Med i projektet
Anne Nistrup Skovsbøl Qualitative research
Yusuf Kilic Controlling
Søren Tvilsted Project management
Support program Velliv Foreningen
Project duration 01.04.2019 – 30.06.2022
Project budget 2.1 mio. DKK

Projektpartnere

  • Neurology Department, Zealand University Hospital
  • The Research Unit, Zealand University Hospital

 

The project is supported by funding from Velliv Foreningen, which supports research, knowledge dissemination, and larger initiatives at small and medium-sized private workplaces.