Health in space: Sleeping bag could prevent vision loss in astronauts

Long spells in microgravity can alter eyeball shape, but a sleeping bag that applies suction to the lower body could prevent such problems



Space



9 December 2021

James Leidner spent three nights in a high-tech sleeping bag that unloads pressure in the brain by suctioning fluids into the lower body. NASA hopes the sack can be used by astronauts in space to alleviate the vision problems they commonly endure during longer missions.

Volunteers spent 72 hours in the high-tech sleeping bag

UT Southwestern Medical Center

A sleeping bag that mimics the pull of gravity could prevent astronauts’ eyes from bulging in space, reducing the risk of vision problems on long journeys.

About 70 per cent of people in space experience changes to the shape of their eyeballs, sometimes affecting their vision.

When we lie down on Earth, there is a threefold increase in pressure inside the skull because our body fluids are redistributed. This pressure is usually relieved when we get up in the morning, but …