NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Sleeping in Space: An Unexpected Challenge for Future Mars ExplorersThis talk will serve as the keynote address for a research symposium being held at Washington State University. The purpose of the talk is to provide researchers and students at WSU with an overview about what it is like to sleep in space. Dr. Flynn-Evans will begin by highlighting how sleep is different in movies and science fiction compared to real life. She will next cover basic information about sleep and circadian rhythms, including how sleep works on earth. She will explain how people have circadian rhythms of different lengths and how the circadian clock has to be re-set each day. She will also describe how jet-lag works as an example of what happens during circadian misalignment. Dr. Flynn-Evans will also describe how sleep is different in space and will highlight the challenges that astronauts face in low-earth orbit. She will discuss how astronauts have a shorter sleep duration in space relative to on the ground and how their schedules can shift due to operational constraints. She will also describe how these issues affect alertness and performance. She will then discuss how sleep and scheduling may be different on a long-duration mission to Mars. She will discuss the differences in light and day length on earth and mars and illustrate how those differences pose significant challenges to sleep and circadian rhythms.
Document ID
20180002470
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Flynn-Evans, Erin
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 17, 2018
Publication Date
April 10, 2018
Subject Category
Behavioral Sciences
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN54397
Meeting Information
Meeting: Research Symposium at Washington State University
Location: Seattle, WA
Country: United States
Start Date: April 10, 2018
Sponsors: Washington State Univ.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available