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Healthy Sleep by MUMC+
MUMC+'s Healthy Sleep programme was initially designed for employees who work irregular shifts. It provides support to improve sleep quality and recovery. Meanwhile, Healthy Sleep offers support to all employees. Practical advice has been combined with interactive workshops and individual guidance to help employees better deal with the effects of night work.
What does Healthy Sleep consist of?
- Lifestyle advice: tips on nutrition, exercise and relaxation that promote sleep.
- Power nap facilities: there are rest rooms in the workplace for short recovery moments. For example, there is a power nap facility in every nursing ward.
- Individual coaching: personal conversations with experts to address sleep problems and develop a sustainable sleep rhythm.
- Use of aids: such as light therapy glasses to support the natural day-night rhythm. Healthy Sleep also uses VR glasses to help employees in their home environment with better switch-off in the evenings and better quality sleep.
Healthy Sleep ensures that employees feel fitter and more energetic, which benefits safety, concentration and job satisfaction.
More information? Mail healthysleep@mumc.nl.
PerfectFit@Night at Erasmus MC
To improve the health of night workers, the PerfectFit@Night (2020-2024) programme has been developed and applied in twelve care departments of Erasmus MC with a government subsidy (ZonMw). The intervention consisted of five parts aimed at both the individual and the work environment. The individual components are an e-learning about healthy working at night and sleep coaching for night workers with existing sleep problems. The environmental components are offering a power nap chair in the department, offering healthy food at night and a healthy scheduling workshop for the schedulers. Based on scientific questionnaire research, the effect of the interventions on sleep, fatigue and recovery needs was measured. These decreased significantly after the intervention. These positive effects were not explained by one specific element, but the strength lies in the provision of the different elements in one programme. Based on the evaluation of PerfectFit@Night, implementation and assurance can be improved by:
- Creating a positive attitude towards the intervention in all layers of management and among night workers themselves.
- Appointing enthusiastic night workers as ambassadors of the intervention.
- Providing clarity about the use of the intervention.
- Adjusting working conditions in such a way that use of the intervention is made possible.
- Creating optimal conditions for intervention.
The video presentation of PerfectFit@Night can be found in the Goedenacht App, where you will also find more about the set-up and results of the program. And the app contains practical tips on how to deal with working at night.
If you want to know more, read this scientific publication in the International Journal of Nursing Studies.
