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Astronauts Need Their Rest Too: Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Space FlightThe success and effectiveness of human space flight depends on astronauts' ability to maintain a high level of cognitive performance and vigilance. This alert state ensures the proper operation of sophisticated instrumentation. An important way for humans to remedy fatigue and maintain alertness is to get plenty of rest. Astronauts, however, commonly experience difficulty sleeping while in space. During flight, they may also experience disruption of the body's circadian rhythm - the natural phases the body goes through every day as we oscillate between states of high activity during the waking day and recuperation, rest, and repair during nighttime sleep. Both of these factors are associated with impairment of alertness and performance, which could have important consequences during a mission in space. The human body was designed to sleep at night and be alert and active during the day. We receive these cues from the time of day or amount of light, such as the rising or setting of the sun. However, in the environment of the Space Shuttle or the International Space Station where light levels are highly variable, the characteristics of a 24-hour light/dark cycle are not present to cue the astronauts' bodies about what time of the day it is. Astronauts orbiting Earth see a sunset and sunrise every 90 minutes, sending potentially disruptive signals to the area of the brain that regulates sleep. On STS-107, researchers will measure sleep-wake activity with state-of-the-art technology to quantify how much sleep astronauts obtain in space. Because light is the most powerful time cue to the body's circadian system, individual light exposure patterns of the astronauts will also be monitored to determine if light exposure is associated with sleep disruption. The results of this research could lead to the development of a new treatment for sleep disturbances, enabling crewmembers to avoid the decrements in alertness and performance due to sleep deprivation. What we learn about sleep in space informs treatment for earthbound populations, such as the elderly and insomniacs, who experience frequent sleep disturbances or altered sleep patterns.
Document ID
20030011396
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Other
Authors
Czeisler, Charles
(Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA United States)
Bloomberg, Jacob
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX United States)
Lee, Angie
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
December 16, 2002
Publication Information
Publication: STS 107 Shuttle Press Kit: Providing 24/7 Space Science Research
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Report/Patent Number
NASA/FS-2002-04-059-JSC
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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