What the experts say
Despite the out-of-this-world sleep reported by Artemis II, sleep deprivation and excessive daytime fatigue are commonly reported by astronauts. A study led by Dr. Laura Barger, who monitored astronauts during spaceflight missions, found that astronauts averaged only about 5.96 hours, despite attempting to sleep for, on average, 7.35 hours. The same study revealed that 78% of crew members reported taking sleep-promoting medications during spaceflight.
There’s a few obstacles that they’re up against when trying to catch those extraterrestrial ZZZs: circadian rhythm can be disrupted (they experienced up to 16 sunrises and sunsets daily!), and artificial lighting can be disorientating. The absence of gravity also impacts the natural temperature regulations, which are necessary for deep sleep.
Dr. Lara Aillon-Sohl, a psychiatrist and sleep expert at Headspace explains: “While propping your limbs up to simulate weightlessness can certainly take the pressure off your lower back and help open up those airways, as a mere human on planet Earth, your biology cares far more about your internal clock than your physical ‘altitude.’” The “real magic,” Dr. Aillon-Sohl outlines, happens when you honor your circadian rhythm by maintaining disciplined, consistent sleep hours. She also recommends prepping your body with a hot shower to trigger a rapid drop in core temperature.
Astronauts also have to get into compact, specially designed sleeping bags with rigid mattresses, effectively tucking themselves in to stop floating around. It can take a bit of time, but after a while, they’ll work out how they personally can get cozy and fall asleep fast. “To truly optimize your rest, you must train your behaviors to view the bedroom as a cool, dark, and quiet sanctuary rather than a place for scrolling,” says Dr. Aillon-Sohl. “Ultimately, the ‘optimal’ position is whichever keeps you still, but it’s a rigorous sleep routine–not just a pillow under your knees—that guarantees a restorative night.”
In a state of microgravity, there’s no up or down: therefore, astronauts can choose to sleep in any direction that’s comfortable—like a bat or otherwise. “We all move approximately 80 times in and out of different positions during our sleep at night, but we spend the majority of our nights in one of three positions: stomach, back, or side,” explains Dr. Rebecca Robbins, a sleep expert to Oura Ring and sleep scientist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Side sleepers, Dr. Robbins, says, are more common than back or stomach sleeper positions—but it is possible to change your position. “If you would like to stay on your side instead of on your back, there are a number of devices, ranging from pillows to wearables, that you can buy that are designed to achieve this,” Dr. Robbins says. One cost effective at home remedy is putting a tennis ball in a fanny pack and spinning the fanny pack around to your back to keep you on your side. “We do fall asleep and better maintain sleep when we are sleeping in our preferred sleeper position,” Dr. Robbins adds.
