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A good night's sleep is out of this world
Author: Jonathan Warren
It might be something of an obvious statement, but sleeping is just as important when you're orbiting Earth on the International Space Station as it is when you're back in your own, comfortable bed.
What is different is the remedies that you can employ if you do find yourself suffering with a lack of sleep. According to redOrbit, in a statement released by Volker Damann, head of the space medicine office at the European Space Agency, "Sleeping medication is an option of last resort, because these drugs are known to cause hangovers and hallucinations, which are not ideal side-effects for astronauts."
The article describes the daily schedule of an astronaut on the space station, and it is surprisingly similar to one that we're used to back on Earth. "The astronauts work a normal Monday through Friday week, while Saturday is spent on maintenance, cleaning, private time and sometimes more work. Astronauts get Sunday off," the redOrbit article explains.
This tight schedule can only help the astronauts with non-medicated sleep, as a consistent routine is one of the best ways of ensuring a good, restful night – both in space and back on Earth.
So, if you're having trouble sleeping at the moment, take a step towards better sleep tonight and establish a relaxing routine before you head to bed. Put those phones and laptops away about half an hour before you plan on sleeping, have a warm bath or shower and snuggle down with a book – you'll be dozing in no time. If humans out in space on the ISS can manage it, you most definitely can.
A good night's sleep is out of this world
A good night's sleep is out of this world
