NASA plans to help combat astronaut insomniaaboard the International Space Station (ISS) with a new lighting system.
NASA plans to replace the fluorescent bulbs in the US section of the ISS with asystem that switches between blue, white and red lights depending on the timeof day. The new bulbs are scheduled to be installed in the space station by2016.
"The station is noisy, carbon dioxide is high, you don't have a shower,there's a lot of angst because you've got to perform," Smith Johnston,NASA flight surgeon, told Space.com about the unusual environment and demandingschedules that can cause some astronauts to have problems sleeping.
"Imagine if you have a camera on you 24 hours a day," he said, addingthat everyone has a day-night schedule that must be respected, includingastronauts.
Half of the astronauts aboard space shuttles rely on sleep medication at somepoint to receive rest, and according to Space.com, NASA is investing $11.2million into a new lighting system that should help regulate their body clocksand decrease the need for sleep-inducing drugs.
"You can dial in a natural day-night cycle on the space station" withthe new light system, Johnston said.
Astronauts on average receive six hours of sleep even though they are allowed8.5 hours.
With the new lights, NASA hopes to reduce astronaut sleep deprivation, whichcan cause irritation, depression, illness and mistakes leading to potentialproblems in the shuttle's confined quarters.