I am currently on a three‑month research stay in Switzerland, more specifically in Bern, where I am affiliated with the Universitäre Psychiatrische Dienste Bern. Here, I am part of the Sleep and Mental Health Lab and work on the Sleep P project. The “P” refers to the so‑called p‑factor, which captures a general vulnerability to mental health difficulties, and the study therefore examines the relationship between sleep and mental health in a broad sense.
In the project, this relationship is investigated among 11–12‑year‑olds and includes more than 100 children. It is an extensive longitudinal setup in which the children’s sleep is measured objectively using both EEG and actigraphy. EEG is measured at baseline and again after one year, while actigraphy is used continuously over the course of an entire year. In addition, comprehensive data on the children’s mental health are collected on an ongoing basis through questionnaires, clinical interviews, and cognitive tests. This is quite different from my own work, as my PhD project primarily relies on self‑reported sleep. Data collection takes place in the children’s homes to capture sleep in a more natural, everyday context.
I have even had the chance to experience the measurement methods myself, as I have both had EEG applied and slept in the laboratory as a participant (see photo). I have also taken part in data collection by joining home visits with families, where I have been part of their evening routines and even had dinner with them. In the project, researchers typically stay overnight in the home to assist with measurements during the night and at wake‑up—a practice I am honestly quite impressed by and find hard to imagine working the same way in a Danish context.
The stay has also offered insight into a different research environment. I have become quite good at working alone in the office—sometimes very alone ;-)—which stands in stark contrast to everyday life at SIF. I am therefore also grateful that we have such a community‑oriented work environment back home, which I miss and look forward to returning to.
The stay has also come with a small personal‑finance reality check: I have (very unscientifically) calculated that the price level in Bern is about 40% higher than in Denmark. Meat can easily reach around 160 DKK, while a bag of Haribo, on the other hand, can be bought for 20 DKK. This may argue for a more vegetarian and candy‑based lifestyle—depending on how one chooses to interpret it. In any case, it’s something to keep in mind the next time you’re standing in a supermarket at home thinking the prices are a bit too high.
All in all, it has been a professionally and personally rewarding stay, and I can only recommend going abroad to gain new perspectives on your own research practice—both the good and the less good. Switzerland is, by the way, a truly beautiful country, which I have also enjoyed experiencing alongside the academic work.
Warm greetings from Hannah – see you in June.