Stress Navigation

Afleveringen

1. Why is it important to study stress? – Cardiometabolic health with Susanne Kuckuck – Core Concepts #4

   28 oktober 2026 · 12 min

   Afspelen
   Why does stress matter for our health? In this episode of Core Concepts, postdoctoral researcher Susanne Kuckuck (Erasmus MC) unpacks the relationship between stress and cardiometabolic health: how our hearts, our weight, and our metabolism respond to stress over time. Lees meer

   Susanne says: "Diamonds are made under pressure, but so are obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease". In this conversation, we cover the role cortisol has in appetite regulation, differences between short-term and long-term stress, and how the latter raises the risk for cardiometabolic disease. This is a quick dive into what you need to know about how stress shapes long-term health.

   Interested in stress and cardiometabolic health? Read more here:

   Listen to the episode with Liesbeth van Rossum: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YyOFb0BRwjx5EkQDUsvo7?si=Zl5Pm9d9RkeZ5-lZvxOtXg

   Learn more about Stress in Action: https://stress-in-action.nl/

   Credits:

   Host: Myrte Schoenmakers

   Production: Anouk Weverling

   Supported by: Merel van den Berg, Camen van Klaren, Marcos Ross and Myrte Schoenmakers

   Music: Marcos Ross

2. What is stress? – Dynamics of the stress response with Ellen Stroemer – Core Concepts #3

   14 oktober 2026 · 16 min

   Afspelen
   Now that we have explored the different components of the stress response, we dive a little deeper into another important aspect: timing. The stress response is not a single moment in time. Instead, it unfolds across different phases. “Part of the stress response can actually happen before the stressful event occurs—we call this anticipation,” explains Ellen Stroemer, a PhD candidate jointly at the University Medical Center Groningen and the University of Groningen. This is typically followed by an immediate reactive phase, as we deal with the stressor itself, and finally recovery, as we gradually return towards our normal state. Lees meer

   While we can label these different phases, what they actually look like can vary dramatically from person to person and situation to situation. Through cameo examples from Sara and Marlou, we see how differently these stress responses can unfold in everyday life.

   For researchers, all of these phases can provide valuable information. However, Ellen explains how focusing on a particular phase of the stress response can help answer more specific questions, for example, about when and how stress may become harmful.

   Finally, she discusses how her own research on age, life phases, and emotion regulation can help us understand why the timing and course of the stress response may differ between people.

   Interested in hearing more about the stress response and emotion regulation?

   Listen to the dimensions of the stress response with Solomiia Myroniuk (Core Concepts):

   https://open.spotify.com/episode/1k1T6CXHn84Rt2HapWU7UM?si=fqO1CmLgQ6aJ0cYz4mRRfg

   Listen to the episode with Susanne Scheibe: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1xgkn6XLV23E1rw72cU6kQ?si=3S9Iyi69RiaMRXhtSaOLHA

   Listen to the episode with Bertus Jeronimus: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6rux0T5e7t4kaZ8F02jh2k?si=lN5foCR_Qi-WjaiPEF80Cw

   Learn more about Stress in Action: https://stress-in-action.nl/

   Credits:

   Host: Kiera Drake & Marcos Ross

   Production: Anouk Weverling

   Supported b…

3. What is stress? – The dimensions of the stress response with Solomiia Myroniuk – Core Concepts #2

   30 september 2026 · 13 min

   Afspelen
   In this episode of Core Concepts, we dive into the stress response. In other words, what happens to us after we encounter a stressor. Lees meer

   Within Stress in Action, the stress response is a central concept of our research but also a broad and complex one. Solomiia Myroniuk, a PhD candidate at the University of Groningen, explains that while we cannot directly measure “the stress response” as a whole, we can measure its different components. She takes us through four key components of the stress response: cognitive, affective, physiological, and behavioural. Importantly, these components do not always have clear boundaries. They can overlap, both conceptually and in the way they are measured in research.

   A major focus of Solomiia’s work is disentangling this overlap and improving the precision of stress-response measurement. As she explains, “When we measure (the stress response) we need to be precise to know exactly what we are measuring and to communicate this to other researchers.”

   We also discuss coping, how it relates to the different dimensions of the stress response, and some of the challenges involved in studying these processes.

   Interested in hearing more about the stress response?

   Listen to the episode with Bertus Jeronimus: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6rux0T5e7t4kaZ8F02jh2k?si=lN5foCR_Qi-WjaiPEF80Cw

   Listen to the core concepts episode with Malin Meyer on Stressors: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jMky3bxrIw7NJeec9D2hf?si=BOv6PTCqRjm7o4K2Na5kJA

   Read more about Stress in Action: https://stress-in-action.nl/

   Credits:

   Host: Kiera Drake & Marcos Ross

   Production: Anouk Weverling

   Supported by: Merel van den Berg, Kiera Drake, Camen van Klaren, Marcos Ross and Myrte Schoenmakers

   Music: Marcos Ross

4. What is stress? – Stressors with Malin Meyer – Core Concepts #1

   16 september 2026 · 16 min

   Afspelen
   What really is stress? In the Stress in Action research program, we distinguish stress into two parts: stressors and stress responses. In the first episode of Core Concepts, PhD Candidate Malin Meyer (University Medical Center Groningen) explains the first component, the stressors. Malin explains: "If somebody says, I'm really stressed, then basically my research is about the question, what is stressing you? So what is the stressor?”. Lees meer

   Malin explains how everyday stressors differ from major life events. She introduces four “puzzle pieces” that shape how we define stressors: their type (event vs. ongoing state or condition), function (demands, constraints, or even opportunities), time (present experiences vs. anticipated or remembered ones), and source (external events vs. internal thoughts, pain, or imagery). She also shows how these definitions directly influence how researchers measure stress—and therefore what they can ultimately discover: “What you measure is what you find."

   Interested in stressors and stress theory? Listen to our interviews with experts here:

   Listen to the episode with Susanne Scheibe: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1xgkn6XLV23E1rw72cU6kQ?si=3S9Iyi69RiaMRXhtSaOLHA

   Listen to the episode with Bertus Jeronimus: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6rux0T5e7t4kaZ8F02jh2k?si=lN5foCR_Qi-WjaiPEF80Cw

   Learn more about Stress in Action: https://stress-in-action.nl/

   Credits:

   Host: Marcos Ross

   Production: Anouk Weverling

   Supported by: Merel van den Berg, Kiera Drake, Camen van Klaren, Marcos Ross and Myrte Schoenmakers

   Music: Marcos Ross

5. Stressherstel en coping met Thomas Vaessen

   26 mei 2026 · 34 min

   Afspelen
   Hoe herstellen mensen van stressvolle situaties? En hoe gaan mensen om met stress in het dagelijks leven? Thomas Vaessen, universitair docent aan de Universiteit Twente en KU Leuven vertelt over stressherstel en copingstrategieën. Coping is de manier waarop mensen met stress omgaan. De een gaat piekeren, de ander zoekt afleiding om er maar niet aan te hoeven denken, en andere mensen pakken het probleem actief aan. Welke copingstrategie voor jou het beste werkt is afhankelijk van de intensiteit van de stress die je ervaart, en de context waarin dat gebeurt. Lees meer

   Thomas vertelt over zijn onderzoek met het gebruik van experience sampling (korte vragenlijstjes op de telefoon) en wearables zoals smartwatches. Ook duiken we in interventies zoals Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) en de mobiele interventie ‘ACT in Daily Life’.

   Waar hebben we het over?

   (02:56) Stressherstel en coping

   (10:20) Onderzoek naar stress in het dagelijks leven (met EMA)

   (12:32) Relatie van verschillende stressmaten

   (16:14) Psychische klachten door stress

   (21:20) Acceptance & Commitment Therapie (ACT)

   (31:00) Toekomstvisie behandeling psychopathologie

   Meer weten? over Thomas zijn onderzoek?

   Het werk van Thomas aan de Universiteit Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/daily-life-lab-twente/

   Het werk van Thomas aan de KU Leuven: https://gbiomed.kuleuven.be/english/research/50000666/50000673/cpp/ccp-dutch/onderzoek/stress-beloning

   Podcast met Matthijs Noordzij over wearables: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6TAmVFpfWoIlDWIYWOZOLz?si=3lamyPDoSP6Ls8Z_18fuzA

   Stress Navigation is een initiatief van Stress in Action. Meer weten over het onderzoek? Neem een kijkje op de website Stress in Action – Innovation in the understanding and application of daily-life stress.Credits:

   Host: Myrte Schoenmakers

   Productie: Anouk Weverling

   Redactie: Myrte Schoenmakers, Merel van den Berg, Carmen van Klaren

   Muziek: Marcos Ross

6. Biological Age and Mental Health with Laura Han

   16 april 2026 · 44 min

   Afspelen
   While birthdays are worth celebrating, ageing is the single biggest risk factor for the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart attacks, and blindness. Our guest, Dr. Laura Han, Assistant Professor at the Amsterdam University Medical Center, specializes in biological aging, the way our bodies grow older, and connects it to psychiatry. Why? Because people living with mental illness show more signs of bodily wear and tear compared to peers of the same age. Understanding why they deviate from typical age-related biological patterns opens new paths to treatment and prevention. In this episode, we explore the difference between calendar years (chronological age) and biological age, how stress shapes the ageing process, and the growing role of wearables in this research landscape. This conversation offers an intuitive perspective that could reshape how we approach personalized medicine. We hope you enjoy the episode. Lees meer

   What do we discuss?

   Chapter 1 (02:12) - Chronological vs. biological age. How do we determine how our body is aging?

   Chapter 2 (14:39) - Biological age markers and depression. From anatomical to DNA markers.

   Chapter 3 (19:02) - Factors affecting biological ageing and talks of using it in clinical practice.

   Chapter 4 (26:28) - Stress and biological ageing.

   Chapter 5 (34:16) - Wearables (Garmin, Oura, Fitbit) and their approach to biological age

   Want to know more about Laura's work at Amsterdam UMC?https://psychiatryamsterdam.nl/personen/laura-k-m-han/

   Credits:

   Host: Marcos Ross

   Production: Anouk Weverling

   Supported by: Myrte Schoenmakers, Carmen van Klaren, Merel van den Berg, Kiera Drake

   Music: Marcos Ross

7. De biologische klok, slaap en stress met Joëlle Oosterman

   19 maart 2026 · 40 min

   Afspelen
   Kun je van een avondmens een ochtendmens maken? Het antwoord is nee, helaas. Het biologische klokmechanisme is voor elk individu nét wat anders afgesteld. Dat geldt voor de klok van slaap, maar ook voor andere ritmes. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan je metabolisme en de tijden dat je eet en de hoeveelheid die je op een dag eet. Het eet-ritme is per persoon verschillend. Net als stress. Het stresshormoon cortisol heeft ook zijn eigen ritme. In deze aflevering is Joëlle Oosterman te gast, postdoc onderzoeker bij het Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. Joëlle vertelt over chronobiologie en de relatie van het metabolisme met stress en mentale gezondheid. Lees meer

   Waar hebben we het over?

   (01:08) Biologische klok / Chronobiologie

   (08:44) Cortisol (ritme)

   (15:50) Slaap (ritme)

   (20:58) Sociale jetlag

   (29:53) Eten (ritme)

   (35:55) De relatie van chronobiologie met mentale gezondheid

   Meer weten?

   Het werk van Joëlle aan het Erasmus MC: https://www.erasmusmc.nl/nl-nl/patientenzorg/zorgverleners/oosterman-joelle

   Studie Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis over ploegendiensten: https://www.jeroenboschziekenhuis.nl/nieuws/jbz-onderzoekt-gezondere-nachtdiensten-voor-verpleegkundigen-pilot-met-het-chronorooster

   Podcast met Mariëtte Boon over de wisselwerking tussen stress en obesitas: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1FLXaRr3sWEWTpatqznI7k?si=e932a565f30a4f42

   Credits:

   Host: Myrte Schoenmakers

   Productie: Anouk Weverling

   Redactie: Myrte Schoenmakers, Merel van den Berg, Noa van Zwieten

   Muziek: Marcos Ross

8. A healthy work life with Susanne Scheibe

   21 januari 2026 · 46 min

   Afspelen
   One of the constants in human life is that we work. We spend most of our adulthood doing it, so what do we need to know to promote a healthy work life? Our guest, prof. dr. Susanne Scheibe, professor of Organizational Psychology at the University of Groningen, investigates how people change throughout their working years, focusing on emotional development and stress in daily life. In this episode, we discuss human-centered work design, myths about aging, and how rapid technological changes are reshaping work. This conversation offers a valuable perspective that we hope can lead to healthier, more productive people and organizations. We hope you enjoy the episode. Lees meer

   What do we discuss?

   01:43 Introduction to organisational science

   12:00 Challenging vs. Hindering stressors

   14:44 Ageing in your career - What's important in what stage of your career

   21:55 Human-centered work

   35:18 Ageism

   41:40 Susanne's summary on work in society

   For more on Susanne’s work at University of Groningen and Stress in Action, check out:

   Stress in Action: https://stress-in-action.nl/susanne-scheibe/

   University of Twente: https://www.rug.nl/staff/s.scheibe/

   LeverAge COST European Network: https://leverage-workforce.eu/about/

   Credits:

   Host: Marcos Ross

   Production: Anouk Weverling

   Supported by: Myrte Schoenmakers, Artemis Stefani, Noa van Zwieten and Merel van den Berg

   Music: Marcos Ross

9. Stress, veerkracht en welbevinden in het dagelijks leven met Lianne de Vries

   18 december 2025 · 24 min

   Afspelen
   Stress heeft vaak een negatieve connotatie, maar mensen hebben het ook nodig om goed te functioneren. Hoe iemand met stress omgaat en hoe veerkrachtig iemand is, verschilt sterk per persoon. In deze aflevering vertelt Lianne de Vries, assistant professor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, over haar onderzoek naar stress, veerkracht, welbevinden en mentale gezondheid. Ze bestudeert zowel langdurige patronen als dagelijkse factoren, onder andere via Ecological Momentary Assessment (korte vragenlijstjes via de telefoon). Daarnaast onderzoekt ze sociale stress en individuele verschillen, onder meer met data uit het Nederlands Tweelingen Register, dat waardevol inzicht biedt in genetische en sociale factoren. Lees meer

   Waar hebben we het over?

   (01:00) Welbevinden en veerkracht

   (07:29) Mentale problemen op individueel niveau

   (10:00) Omgeving en sociale stress

   (13:50) Meetmethode: Ecological Momentary Assessment

   (17:21) Genetica en het Nederlands Tweelingen Register

   (21:18) Preventie mentale problematiek in dagelijks leven

   Meer weten?

   Onderzoek van Lianne de Vries aan de VU: https://vu.nl/nl/onderzoek/wetenschappers/lianne-de-vries

   Nederlands Tweelingen Register: https://tweelingenregister.vu.nl/nl

   EMA methode: https://stress-in-action.nl/mobile-mood-monitoring-in-young-people/

   Podcast met Meike Bartels over welbevinden (in het Engels): https://open.spotify.com/episode/6XuKkzE2Vmd8lTTiJJ3a4f?si=-Kq936NIR7icl94RlhmJuQ

   Ook interessant: blog over stress inoculatie (in het Engels): https://stress-in-action.nl/can-we-inoculate-children-for-a-healthy-stress-response/

   Credits:

   Host: Myrte Schoenmakers

   Productie: Anouk Weverling

   Redactie: Myrte Schoenmakers, Merel van den Berg, Noa van Zwieten

   Muziek: Marcos Ross

10. Behind the scenes of AI and Machine Learning in the health setting with Mark Hoogendoorn

    18 november 2025 · 37 min

    Afspelen
    In a world where our smartphones and wearables are gathering overwhelming amounts of data, how can we make use of them to better understand our health? This question is explored by our guest Dr. Mark Hoogendoorn, a professor of artificial intelligence at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. An expert on machine learning, Mark discusses how this analytical method can be used in healthcare and the challenges that come with all this data (e.g., noisiness, explainability). Given that more and more people are using smartphones and wearables to track their health data, quantifying themselves like never before, Mark’s expertise is tremendously important. We hope you enjoy the episode. Lees meer

    What do we discuss?

    Minute (2:24) Behind the Scenes of Machine Learning (ML) & Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the health setting

    Minute (13:26) The hype around AI & ML

    Minute (22:44) Applicability, gadgets and the quantified self in daily life

    Minute (31:11) Accurate, reliable, and correct data

    Interested in more?

    ‘Helping AI explain itself’ paper by Bülent Ündes on the explainability of complex models: https://stress-in-action.nl/helping-ai-explain-itself-faster-and-smarter-with-startgrad/

    Machine Learning for the quantified self by Mark Hoogendoorn: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/f/machine-learning-for-the-quantified-self/9200000084217477/

    Mark's research at VU Amsterdam: https://research.vu.nl/en/persons/mark-hoogendoorn/

    Credits:

    Host: Marcos Ross

    Supported by: Artemis Stefani, Myrte Schoenmakers, Noa van Zwieten, Merel van den Berg

    Production: Anouk Weverling

    Music: Marcos Ross

Alle 25 afleveringen →