Mindfulness, Recreation and Relaxation for Long Duration Exploration Missions

The risk of Adverse Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders under the BMed umbrella has an uncontrolled risk status for exploration missions. The length of long duration exploration missions, with the unprecedented degree of isolation, confinement, and separation warrants the current “uncontrolled” risk posture. As space missions move from low-earth orbit operations to exploration missions, such as a Mars mission of up to 3 years in length, crews will experience a different set of experiences and stressors. To help prevent the development of cognitive or behavioral symptoms during these missions it is important to provide preventative countermeasures to the crew. Evidence has shown mindfulness and relaxation techniques as well as recreational activities are promising countermeasures for promoting cognitive and behavioral health. This project aims to understand how to apply these evidence-based mindfulness, relaxation and recreational techniques in the exploration context as a countermeasure against cognitive or behavioral decrements. The project consists of an evidence review of the published literature on mindfulness, other relaxation techniques, and recreational activities and their role in promoting mental health and the prevention of cognitive or behavioral symptomology in populations in high-stress environments with an emphasis on populations and environments that are analogous to spaceflight. Additionally the project includes operational assessment interviews with up to ten subject matter experts at NASA or relevant analog environments to determine the state of practice in this area and need for additional work within the NASA environment. The final deliverables would be a final report with findings and recommendations for the direction and nature of work needed in this area. These recommendations should be listed in priority. The results of this effort will help in planning and designing psychological support system requirements for missions. It will also inform and possibly augment current ISS operations by supporting crewmember behavioral health in flight.