Simulierte Schwerelosigkeit beeinträchtigt Schlafdauer und -qualität

Zusammenfassung

Während des Aufenthalts in Schwerelosigkeit ist häufig der Schlaf der Astronaut*innen beeinträchtigt. Eine kontinuierliche Körperposition in 6°-Kopftieflage (HDT) simuliert viele physiologische Veränderungen, die in Schwerelosigkeit auftreten. 24 Proband*innen verbrachten 60 Tage in HDT. Die Polysomnografie wurde in der Baselinephase (BDC-9), in der HDT-Phase (Nächte 1, 8, 30, 58) und in der Erholungsphase (R, Nächte 1 und 12) aufgezeichnet. Im Vergleich zu BDC-9 zeigten sich kürzere Schlafdauer und Tiefschlaf (N3) in HDT sowie weniger effizienter und fragmentierterer Schlaf. Ein inverser U-förmiger Zusammenhang zwischen Schlafdauer und -qualität sowie der Zeit in HDT deuteten nicht auf adaptive Verbesserungen im Verlauf der HDT hin. In der Erholungsphase war der Schlaf weiter fragmentiert, während sich die Schlafdauer schnell erholte. Wir schlussfolgern, dass physiologische Veränderungen durch die Schwerelosigkeit selbst zu Schlafdefiziten während Weltraummissionen führen können.

Abstract

Astronauts in space often experience sleep loss. In the AGBRESA (Artificial Gravity Bed Rest) study, we examined 24 participants (mean age 33 years) during 2 months of 6° head down tilt (HDT) bed rest, which is a well-established space flight analogue. Polysomnography was recorded during baseline (BDC-9), HDT (nights 1, 8, 30, 58), and recovery (R, nights 1 and 12). Mixed ANOVAs with post-hoc stepdown-Bonferroni adjustment indicated that in comparison to BDC-9, arousals were increased, while sleep duration, N3 duration, and sleep efficiency were all decreased during HDT. Significant quadratic associations between sleep duration and quality with time into HDT did not indicate adaptive improvements during HDT. While sleep duration recovered quickly after the end of bed rest, participants still displayed protracted sleep fragmentation. We conclude that physiological changes caused by exposure to microgravity may contribute to sleep deficits experienced during real space missions.

Schlüsselwörter

Polysomnografie - Schlafeffizienz - Schwerelosigkeit - Kopftieflage - Schlafqualität

Key words

polysomnography - slow-wave-sleep - sleepiness - arousal - sleep efficiency - space - astronaut

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
02. Juni 2025

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