An astronaut shares what he learned living on a space station about staying sane during isolation: keep a strict daily schedule, exercise regularly, and stay in touch with people you care about.
"Any tips to remain isolated for months and stay mentally healthy?" Yes, yes.
So— I'm an expert. Yeah, it's, you know, everybody's going to be an expert here shortly. So the things we do on the station, A, have a schedule. A schedule gives you predictability. And especially when you're in quarantine with other people, having a schedule so that everybody kind of knows what to expect and remove some of that uncertainty, it just makes life easier to go, especially when you're in tight quarters. B, you got to take care of yourself. And the best way that I found on station was exercise. So every day getting a little bit of exercise, not just to stay healthy physically, but it keeps some mental clarity as well. So it's just, it's good for the body. And then the last thing is communicate. So you've got ups, you've got downs. Just because you're in quarantine doesn't mean that the ups and downs have gone away. And you've got family and friends and loved ones. And though they may not be quarantined with you, you can still reach out and connect to them just like we're doing now. So communication is the key, and sharing how you're feeling and just trying to maintain those connections with all the friends and family is super important.
