Anxiety, emotional regulation and concentration during a 35-day bed rest

11 With the construction of the international space station Freedom and ongoing preparations for the mission to Mars, man’s presence in space is rapidly increasing. The role of astronauts will become even more important owing to longer and more complex space missions. Since man still remains a central element in the conquest of space despite the outstanding technological achievements, protection of human life and provision of support to astronauts constitute tasks of utmost importance, the very tasks that determine the success and efficiency of space expeditions. The state of weightlessness as experienced by astronauts during stays in space cannot be recreated on Earth. Examples of experimental situations where said state can be simulated, however, are the bed rest (BR) studies involving prolonged periods of rest in the lying-down position. Such experiments represent an important model for the simulation of weightlessness on Earth and allow for the monitoring of the effects of complete physical inactivity on human body. Numerous research studies have proven that the physiological changes that occur following a prolonged period of BR are very similar to the changes observed in astronauts upon their return from space travel (Adams, Caiozzo, & Baldwin, 2003; Mekjavić, Golja, Tipton, & Eiken, 2005; Pavy-Le Traon et al., 1998). Psychological factors (personal and psychosocial) also play an important role in the processes of adaptation under conditions of extreme confinement and isolation such as, for instance, during exposure to weightlessness or simulation thereof. Adaptation to new conditions undoubtedly represents an important source of stress which can induce psychological and behavioural disturbances, such as anxiety and other mood changes (Weiss, Nicolas, & Charras, 2005). During space flights, astronauts experience atypical environment, weightlessness, isolation and absence of contacts with family and friends, immobility, monotony and Petra Dolenc, University of Primorska, Science and Research Centre of Koper, Institute for Kinesiology Research, Garibaldijeva 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia. E-mail: [email protected] (the address for correspondence);