Why Staying in Bed All the Time is Never Good For You: Top Consequences of Too Much Inactivity
NASA reveals all the negative factors one has to face after remaining in bed for a long time
Admit it, waking up at the same time everyday has always been a struggle. We prepare several alarm clocks set in short intervals just so we can rise up exactly when we need to. Yes, this became a necessity as our bodies always wish to stay a little longer in bed.
There are even times within a day when we daydream to just waste our time sleeping and lying in the comforts of our bed. In reality, this is not exactly what our body needs.
NASA's Bed Rest Study
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Have you ever encountered an article stating one of the most bizarre jobs ever offered by NASA?
In a report by Forbes, it was in late 2013 when NASA announced their need for volunteers to participate in their 70-day Bed Rest Study. Those who were selected were paid $18,000 upon completion of the study. Although they remained sedentary and in bed for 70 days, they were allowed to use their gadgets, develop their hobbies and talents, study through online courses and even continue their jobs remotely.
One of the objectives of the research is to find out the consequences of staying completely inactive for 70 days. According to Doctor Roni Cromwell, Senior Scientist on the Bed Rest Study, the bed had to be tilted down for six degrees to leave cardiovascular consequences and bodily fluids at an angle parallel to that in a spaceflight. This is done to understand the effects of prolonged muscle rest astronauts experience in space.
NASA needs to conduct this kind of study because "[testing] new ideas on Earth saves invaluable flight time," Flight Analog project manager Joe Neigut told Forbes. Neigut added that by doing the research, it will help them protect and prepare astronauts in space and learn more about the physiology changes which occur to everyone on Earth once one needs to be in a sedentary state.
One of NASA's volunteers for this research is Andrew Iwanicki. He narrated his experiences during his first three weeks under heavy observation by scientists in NASA. By some twist of fate, he was laid off from his job as an Artist Manager back in August 2014. A day after he received this news, he got an offer from NASA to join the Bed Rest Study.
Total Bed Rest Physical Effects
At the end of Iwanicki's term under NASA's examination, he described everything he had to endure while in the bed-rest situation. He expressed how badly it felt like to stand up after 70 days of being entirely in bed. He told Vice what he went through when "the bed was titled to the vertical position, [his] legs felt heavier than ever," his heartbeat raised at 150 BPMs and all of the other terrifying physical effects he had to endure for days before finally and normally moving again.
In line with this, Life Noggin produced a video enlightening everyone about all of the other enormous bodily effect caused by inactivity:
Now, do you still wish to lie in bed "forever"?
