"Sleeping on the ISS is not all about peaceful Earth views and the gentle hum of a Star Trek-style spacecraft lulling you into a contemplative mindset. The truth is, sleeping in space is not just louder, but way more difficult in a variety of ways - and more important to boot. So how does NASA solve for it? The answer is more essential than you might think."
""All the fans and all the motors and all the other things up there all make sound," Lehnhardt says. "So, one of the things that we actually have to do in space is we have to protect [the astronaut's] hearing and their cognition, if you will, from the ambient noise of the ISS, which is very loud.""
"You can readily find YouTube loops and other sources that will play the ambient noise on the ISS, and, at a reasonable volume level, a non-astronaut may find this white noise soothing. Again, this kind of thing is romanticized in science fiction and on sleep apps. One soundscape on the popular Calm app even simulates a fictional "Spaceship Engine Room," echoing the comments of Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) in Star Trek: Lower Decks when he commented that "Sometimes I hum warp engine sounds just to, you know, soothe myself.""
Sleeping on the International Space Station is significantly noisier and more difficult than terrestrial sleep. Constant fans, motors, and other equipment create persistent ambient noise that can affect hearing and cognitive function. Space medicine teams prioritize protecting astronauts' hearing and cognition from the loud ISS environment. Many public recordings and loops replicate ISS ambient sound, and some listeners may find that white noise soothing. Popular relaxation apps and science fiction portrayals romanticize spacecraft soundscapes, but the reality is measured in decibels and presents operational and health challenges for crew sleep and performance.
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