Although we are still making new discoveries in this field, it has been found that humans can enter a state of hibernation for various reasons.
How Does Hibernation Work?
Hibernation is a state characterized by a significant reduction in body temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate, along with other metabolic activities, to help certain species survive through the winter months. This process is essential for conserving energy during times when food is scarce. In fact, these animals need to consume a large amount of food to store energy before entering hibernation, which will sustain them throughout this dormant state.
Hibernation is based on the principle of thermoregulation. Body temperature drops significantly during hibernation, leading to a low metabolic state known as “torpor.” In this state, animals require minimal food intake, as most of the food they consumed previously is used to maintain their body temperature.
Hibernation helps some species survive through the winter months.
While this principle can apply to many small warm-blooded animals, for humans, reducing body temperature below the normal range (approximately 36.3 to 37.1 degrees Celsius) can cause dangerous symptoms such as shivering. However, in medicine, hibernation can be artificially induced in certain special cases, such as during heart transplants, to protect the patient’s body.
What Are the Benefits of Hibernation for Us?
The principle of cooling the body to a state of suspended animation can be applied to trauma victims to help save their lives. This process is known as “preservation and emergency resuscitation.” It may occur in cases of fatal accidents or injuries, where the patient has only a short time for resuscitation.
The patient’s body can be rapidly cooled to slow down the heart rate and bodily functions, giving doctors time to perform lifesaving surgery.
A famous example of the benefits of hypothermia is the case of Mitsutaka Uchikoshi, a Japanese man who fell and fractured his pelvis while climbing. After losing consciousness, Uchikoshi was found after 24 days with a body temperature of just 22 degrees Celsius. Thanks to his hypothermic state, his metabolic processes nearly stopped, but his heartbeat remained weak. After being treated by doctors, he miraculously survived and fully recovered.
Additionally, hibernation is being studied as a treatment for various conditions such as insomnia and metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity. By understanding the metabolic processes related to temperature, scientists hope to develop more effective treatments for these diseases.
Can We Use This to Create Hibernation Pods for Space Travel?
NASA has funded SpaceWorks Enterprises, a pioneering company in artificial hibernation research for astronauts. Currently, long-distance space travel is not feasible due to constraints such as the need for food supplies and the mobility requirements of astronauts. However, during hibernation, the food requirement decreases significantly, as astronauts’ metabolic processes would slow down to nearly zero.
Hibernation pods are no longer just fictional but may soon become a reality.
Since humans do not have the natural ability to store food as energy in their bodies for extended periods, a certain amount of food needs to be supplied to astronauts, which may be achieved through surgical insertion of tubes or intravenous feeding.
Astronauts are expected to alternate sleeping in cycles, with one astronaut remaining awake to care for the crew and monitor ship functions. Subsequently, one of the other astronauts will be awakened after two weeks, allowing the other to recover and prepare for the next hibernation cycle. The reality is far from the movie “Passengers”, as we do not possess advanced enough technology to relinquish complete control to computers.
Another challenge is how to lower astronauts’ body temperature to around 32 degrees Celsius without causing shivering. On Earth, this is accomplished through sedation in a process known as “therapeutic hypothermia” or “targeted temperature management.” However, in space, this is not a safe option. There is a potential drug that can induce hibernation safely and effectively on mice, but human trials are still ongoing.
In stark contrast to the ship depicted in “Passengers”, current spacecraft will be designed compactly to reduce interstellar travel costs. Nevertheless, astronauts will have individual compartments for rest, ensuring the necessary privacy after many years together in space.
Despite the many benefits, hibernation will not extend your lifespan as portrayed in films; it will not keep you forever young. You will still age. In fact, because our bodies are not “equipped” to naturally thrive in a space environment, prolonged exposure to low gravity may lead to health issues such as elevated blood pressure and vision impairment. A viable solution is “neuromuscular electrical stimulation“, which helps condition astronauts’ muscles during hibernation by sending electrical pulses to stimulate muscle contractions.
With all these advancements, hibernation pods are no longer just works of fiction but may soon become a reality. As these issues are addressed, space travel will become a more feasible dream than ever before. Scientists are working diligently to turn this dream into reality, opening a new chapter in space exploration.
