An astronaut's guide to being alone

NASA astronaut Terry Virts knows a thing or two about managing isolation—a reality many of us now face during the COVID-19 lockdown. He spent more than 200 days in space after a Russian cargo ship blew up and delayed his return home. Up above, he was restricted to small confined quarters (with not even Netflix to keep him company). 

“We were suddenly stuck and low on supplies,” Terry tells Calm. “And we didn't know how long we were going to be stuck.”

During his time in orbit, Terry came up with several ways to cope with the loneliness and day-to-day monotony—all smart and simple strategies that are just useful down here on Earth.

In our new series, Calm Together Conversations, Terry took the time to discuss his experience in space and share tips for navigating our new normal.

For more from Terry, listen to an excerpt from his book “A View From Above” in Calm’s Sleep Stories Collection.

And do check out our free resources page, which includes everything from meditations to music and videos. Want even more from Calm? We’re now offering 40% off a year of Calm Premium.