As widely shared on our social media channels, the BioClock team was present at Lowlands Science 2025 last weekend (16–18 August), where we introduced festival visitors to the fascinating world of the biological clock. The initiative was led by Maaike van der Rhee, Demy van Gilst, Ward Vleeshouwers, and Gali Albalak. Under the motto “Too tired to function? Let’s find out!” our PhD candidates explored the question: how does sleep deprivation affect reaction time, alertness, and even driving ability?
Festival structure as an experimental setting
During the festival — with performances running late into the night — the biological clocks of many visitors were pushed to the limit. The central measurement was the NASA-validated Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) for reaction speed. In addition, the research setup included several interactive components:
Driving simulation under sleep deprivation
Discovering your personal chronotype (morning type versus evening type)
With our presence at Lowlands, we aimed not only to collect data but also to raise awareness about the impact of a disrupted biological clock and the importance of good sleep.
The festival weekend offered a unique combination of public visibility, citizen science, and team building. Designing, organizing, and running this project together created a valuable mix of work and fun. And in between the hard work, there was plenty of time to enjoy the festival together!
