Sunita Williams would face another tough health challenge..!?

Sunita Williams, an Indian-origin astronaut who went to the international Space Station, 400 kilometers above the Earth, for eight days last year, has been stuck there for the past nine months. She reached Earth just a few hours ago. Will she be able to go back to her daily routine? If you look for the answer to the question, you will be amazed. She will face many health problems due to staying in space for a long time. Although it may seem fun to watch astronauts floating in a weightless state, it will now become a big challenge. The reason for this is that due to being in a weightless state for a long time, the density of bones and muscles decreases, which causes many problems. It is not easy to get used to the force of gravity after returning to Earth. Do you know what the immediate challenges ahead of them are?

- Standing

- Keeping your gaze steady

- Walking

- Turning sideways

- Gravity sickness
Astronauts who spend a long time in a place where there is no gravity do not have to work hard to move for walking. This does not put a burden on their bones and muscles. This starts to deteriorate. As a result, they have to try for weeks to live a normal life like the rest of us. One of the main problems that comes with spending a long time in space is that bones and tissues change their behavior in space. The cells that build new bone tissue slow down. The process of breaking down old bone tissue continues as usual. This leads to a decrease in bone density in astronauts.
To be more specific, astronauts lose one to two percent of their bone density every 30 days in space. This increases to about ten percent in six months. On Earth, this decline is 0.5 to one percent per year in adults. This puts astronauts at a higher risk of bone fractures. It takes up to four years for astronauts' bone density to return to normal after returning to Earth. To overcome this problem, astronauts have to do rigorous exercises in the SS. They have to do the treadmill or other exercises for two hours a day. After spending two weeks in space, muscles can lose 20 percent. After three to six months, this loss reaches 30 percent. We don't pay much attention to it, but the vestibular organ in the ear protects us from falling. This is very important when we walk on Earth.

Being in space for a long time changes the information received by the vestibular organs. This causes the brain to become confused. This leads to space sickness. This causes problems like dizziness, headaches, stomach upset, vomiting, and nausea. Gravity sickness has to be overcome after returning to Earth. Problems with eyesight can also arise. The force of gravity on Earth pulls blood and other fluids into the lower parts of the body. It forces the heart to pump them upwards. In space, this whole process gets confused. This causes more blood and fluids to accumulate in the upper parts of the body than usual. This is why some astronauts look a bit bloated. The accumulation of blood and fluids in the head can lead to hearing problems. The shape of the heart also changes due to the long time spent in space. Controlling bp after reaching Earth is a challenge.

Due to long periods of time in space, a weightless tongue condition occurs. This causes changes in speech. Also, astronauts lose the thick skin on their feet. This makes their feet sensitive like those of infants, making it difficult to walk. There is a risk of a decrease in white blood cells due to radiation in Earth's orbit. This can weaken their immune system. Moreover, astronauts are at risk of cancer and other health problems.
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sunitha williams

Sowmiya Sriram

19/03/2025 12:02 PM