How do astronauts sleep in space?

Behind the glamor of a 'cosmic' job, astronauts are also ordinary people with 'dreamy' sleeps right on the spacecraft.

How do astronauts sleep on the universe?

Astronauts are always admired by space-based jobs, but behind that glamor, they are ordinary people like us, who have needs like eating, sleeping and defending. born. However, due to the particular nature of the work and the special 'location ' of work, the way they 'deal with' these needs is different.

The first is about sleeping! Have you ever wondered how astronauts sleep and in what conditions? Surprisingly, you are not the only ones wondering about this issue, even with first-time astronauts who have never been trained on how to sleep or sleep conditions while hovering outside the Earth.

Clayton C. Anderson , an American astronaut, said astronauts should not undergo any training on how to sleep in a spacecraft. All they know is based on the experience of ' word of mouth ' from the previous ' upperclassman ' classes. Sturckow, STS - 117 space commander, "tipped " the "newcomers" should take a good book and keep quiet to be able to sleep when flying into space.

And if you are curious about the astronaut's sleepless space, there is nothing different than us, the answer is that they often dream. They always dreamed of familiar things, like when they were still on Earth. Astronaut Clayton is tasked with taking part in an experiment called 'Deep Sleep ' (SLEEP long). Accordingly, he had to wear a special watch for 152 days (and many days before flying as well as after landing on Earth).

Experiments (and watches) will measure light / dark and motion, providing important information for researchers about what happens in sleep and astronauts' deep sleep levels. The data obtained during the 152-day flight on the space station showed that Clayton had an average sleep time of 7 hours and 20 minutes, more than his usual sleeping time while on Earth.The smart watch also allows researchers to know when Clayton awake and when to sleep deeply (REM - deep sleep and start dreaming).

Clayton also shared about TeSS - his " bed" on the International Space Station (ISS) . As the ' precursor ' of the current fixed sleeping chambers on ISS, TeSS (temporary bedroom) is quite small, has a quiet but dark and cold space. In order not to drift out of the bedroom, astronauts often have to use an extra sleeping bag made in Russia to keep the four corners fixed. The sleeping bag is light and just enough to keep the astronauts warm. However, the temperature on the ISS Space Station is quite low, so astronauts still have to wear pajamas, hats and socks when snuggling into sleeping bags.

Sharing his sleeping habits on the ISS Space Station, Clayton said he always separated between bedtime and computer usage because he understood the harms of these devices if they kept them in bed. Therefore, he only used the computer at the work area and turned off all the lights before entering the bedroom (of course, after finishing other personal tasks such as going to the toilet and brushing teeth, .). He changed and slipped into a sleeping bag, keeping the sleeping bag facing the ceiling , which is considered an ideal sleeping position for the A / C vent to push CO2 downward, making breathing easier. . Clayton did not forget to cover his ears and hold a favorite book to read until his eyelids closed.

Clayton described in detail the state of sleep as follows: 'When the eyes start to close, your body will feel relaxed and relaxed, your hands will loosen from the book. The interesting thing is that in a zero gravity environment, you won't get your head down and startled when you're dreaming. And when you wake up, you'll see that the book is still floating right where you left your hand. '

To prevent sleeplessness at night, Clayton never takes a nap (or takes a short nap) during the day. If you get drowsy while working, you will find something to cover your stomach and recharge your energy. This way has always been effective in " cutting off " his drowsiness.