NASA scientists explain exactly how astronauts sleep with zero gravity in space

Do you ever get that feeling after a night out when you lay down in bed and it feels as though you could be floating on the waves of the sea?

Or maybe when you’ve had one too many shots of tequila and every time you close your eyes to sleep it feels like you’re ascending to space?

Well, imagine, being sober but actually trying to fall asleep in those kinds of conditions.

The idea of having zero gravity situation but just trying to get a bit of shut eye seems bizarre to us mere Earth-bound beings.

Or, maybe you’ve wondered if it is actually easier to fall asleep when you’re an astronaut out in space. And as you dive into the hole of that thought, NASA scientists have explained just how astronauts get to sleep with zero gravity.

Some find it quite 'comforting' apparently (Space Frontiers/Getty Images)

Erin Flynn-Evans and Rachel Jansen are researchers at NASA and look into how spaceflight affects astronauts’ sleep routines.

Jansen says that when they’re up in space, they really do ‘just float around’ and are left to choose what works best for them to have some kip.

“They’ll strap themselves to one of the surfaces — and that can be anywhere because there’s no up or down,” she told Washington Post. “The resting posture in space is kind of like a zombie pose, where arms involuntarily rise to about shoulder height and just float there.”

In order to avoid looking like they want to eat their fellow astronaut’s brains out, she added that some might ‘strap their arms down’.

And to block out any light and distractions, just as you’d expect, they often use eye masks.

Jansen added that they’ve been able to add ‘private crew quarters’ to the space station, with more temperature control and the ability to reduce light and noise.

Maybe zero gravity is the key (NASA)

“We advise on astronauts’ routines, which currently involves an 8½-hour opportunity for sleep,” the researcher explained.

“We also advise that they dim the lights before bed, so astronauts can have a regular circadian rhythm which could be disrupted by all sorts of things while they’re living in space.”

Flynn-Evans said that some of the astronauts do actually find the zero gravity ‘comforting’ while they’re sleeping.

“In space, everything sort of eases up, and often that feels good,” she explained. “I can’t think of a time when someone told me they didn’t enjoy sleeping in space, actually.”

Well, maybe I need to pull a Katy Perry in order to finally get some decent rest.