What if I told you that you can be “totally relaxed” without sleeping on a mattress with pillows?
The only catch – you have to be an astronaut to know what that feels like.
Chris Hadfield from the Canadian Space Agency shows you how, see below.
Speaking to us from the International Space Station, Hadfield says sleeping on board should be “comfortable for astronauts.”
Also, sleeping in space allows the body to be “totally relaxed.” Because there is no gravity, “you don’t need anything to hold your body up,” Hadfield explains.
“It’s space. You don’t even have to lift your head,” he explains.
“You can relax all the muscles in your body, let your arms float forward, and tilt your head forward.”
Therefore, no pillows or mattresses are required. A sleeping bag tied to the wall will suffice.
Hadfield ushers us to bed as she shows off her “comfortable full-body Russian pajamas” for the camera.
As shown in the clip above, it’s basically a claustrophobic-looking white pod with a green sleeping bag attached upright to the wall.
CSA says sleeping upright makes no difference, and sleeping bags have firm cushions that increase pressure on the astronaut’s back.
A personal bedroom happens to be about the size of a phone booth, and astronauts are usually given sleeping bags, pillows, lamps, vents, a personal laptop, and a place to put their personal belongings.
They also tend to use earplugs and sleep masks to block out noise and light on planes.
He said that people often ask him what happens when he sheds tears in space, which surprised me a little.
However, Hadfield stated that he could not cry if necessary, so he sprayed water in his eyes instead.
After wetting his eyeballs, the astronaut commented:
“Actually, you can put more water in. So if you keep crying, the blob of water will get bigger and bigger until it eventually crosses your nose into your other eye or evaporates. , or It may spread to your cheeks – or grab a towel to dry off.
“Yes, I put something in my eye. Your eyes will definitely cry in space, but the big difference is that the tears won’t fall.”
