Working night shifts can be demanding, as many night shift workers will recognize. What makes this work so challenging, and how can we improve this?  In a recent article, popular Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant spoke with several BioClock researchers about the effects of night work and possible solutions. Nightshifts and the biological clockThe negative effects of night work are closely related to the biological clock. Normally, it runs in sync with the 24-hour day-night...

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...

New study highlights the importance of timing in physical activity Research by BioClock scientist Gali Albalak (Leiden University Medical Center) shows that not only how much we move, but also when we move can influence our mental health. The results indicate that people who are primarily active in the morning have a significantly lower risk of depression, whereas nighttime activity is associated with a higher risk. Largest study to date Using data from the UK Biobank, the...

Biological clock & Student wellbeing Sleep problems are increasingly common among university students and are strongly linked to mood and anxiety disorders. An irregular day–night rhythm – caused by late bedtimes and social jetlag – worsens these complaints. What was studied? BioClock researcher Laura Pape (Leiden University) and her colleagues developed the digital self-help intervention ‘i-Sleep & BioClock’. This five-week program combines the proven...