All images: NASA
Being an astronaut is not easy. It’s mentally draining as astronauts spend months in space and face lack of sleep, high workload, no access to natural light, separation from loved ones, and many other stress factors.
A prolonged lack of sleep coupled with a high workload can cause depression in astronauts which further affects their performance on missions.
Space agencies around the world give great importance to the psychological care of astronauts. NASA, for example, has a Behavioural Health and Performance (BHP) team that conducts research to better understand the psychological and behavioural responses to spaceflight. It develops and tests interventions that lead to better adaptation and performance.
NASA gives extensive training to astronauts to help them apply self-assessment tools and treatments for maintaining their behavioural health. In-mission support, such as care packages, teleconferences with a psychologist, and journaling, help astronauts maintain motivation and boost their morale.