Orbiting Time: Sleep, Faith, and Birthdays on the ISS

Crew aboard the International Space Station experience about 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets each day and run their schedule on Coordinated Universal Time, aided by LED lighting that mimics day-night cues. Private sleep stations, strict light rules, and pharmacological aids aim to protect performance, while religious practices adapt to orbital life (e.g., praying toward launch-site time or Mecca when possible). Birthdays and other rituals help maintain a sense of meaning in microgravity. The piece emphasizes that, despite technology, humans rely on time-keeping structures—day, week, prayer, and cake—to stay oriented, and that chronic circadian disruption could pose health risks for long-duration missions.