Space Travel Psychology
Mental health remains a huge concern for the space industry, whether considering humanity’s eventual colonization of other worlds or merely the price of a space tourism weekend.
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No matter how inspiring it looks on the big screen, outer space is a hostile environment that requires considerable psychological adjustment. “You’ll spend the first phase of your journey adjusting to a cramped environment, an upset stomach, headaches and space motion sickness. According to N.A.S.A.’s Johnson Space Center, you’ll also experience a 26 percent drop in sleep efficiency, with greatly reduced R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) time. In other words, you may experience dream deprivation. Expect to feel uncomfortable and sluggish with your work.”
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