niet24uursslaapwaakstoornis

Niet24uursslaa is a fictional concept used in thought experiments about digital service design and human well‑being. It imagines a global online ecosystem in which major platforms voluntarily restrict operations to a defined daily window, instituting a global rest period during which non-urgent updates, notifications, and data processing are paused to promote sleep and downtime.

Etymology and branding: The term combines Dutch elements such as niet (not) and 24 uur (24 hours) with a stylized ending intended to evoke slaap, the Dutch word for sleep. The coinage is used to signal a policy shift away from continuous, around-the-clock activity toward intentional, bounded availability.

Concept and mechanisms: In the imagined framework, services publish a daily downtime interval, with a staggered wake window to reduce peak loads. During rest hours, services may operate in a degraded mode or suspend non-critical functions. Users can opt into stricter personal downtime, and some platforms provide opt‑in summaries of what was paused. Proponents argue the approach could improve sleep quality, reduce burnout, and lower energy consumption, while critics warn of safety risks for time‑sensitive services and potential inequities in access and convenience.

History and reception: Niet24uursslaa originated in Dutch-language digital ethics discussions around 2023 and 2024 and has appeared in speculative essays and fiction exploring governance of online ecosystems. Reactions range from interest in its health benefits to skepticism about feasibility, enforcement, and unintended economic consequences.

See also: digital detox, circadian rhythm, platform governance, sleep health.