Why astronauts exercise in space

Everyone knows that it's important to exercise to stay in shape —on Earth, that is. But when you're in orbit, exercise is absolutely vital! Physical activity is the most effective way to counteract the adverse effects of weightlessness on the human body. Over the course of a long-duration mission, astronauts must exercise approximately two hours per day! Credit: NASA. On Earth , each time we move, gravity provides resistance to the muscles and bones of our body.

It's like we're exercising without even realizing it! That way, our body stays strong enough to support our weight. Instead, astronauts grip handles and sit up against a back pad to stay stationary. People also experience something call fluid shift in space.

Without gravity pulling your bodily fluids downward, they shift up into the chest and head, causing issues with the circulatory system and even changes to vision.

Most of these changes are temporary, though, and typically go away once astronauts return to Earth. Energetic particles from the Sun and outside our Solar Systems can travel through materials and skin, doing damage to the body over time. It really depends, but those things are carefully measured. There, Guida and other scientists use a particle accelerator to create simulated space radiation and see how it affects biological samples.

Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Thanks to this intense exercise regimen some astronauts return to Earth in even better shape than when they left!

Then, learn how you can create an experiment to simulate the effects of bone loss at home with the help of the STEM in 30 team! Also learn about bone density in a hands-on classroom activity using cereal.

Lesson Plan: Bone Density Loss. Skip to main content. You are here Home Staying in Shape in Space. View the discussion thread.