When astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla left Earth for the International Space Station (ISS), he was prepared for the adventure floating in zero gravity, doing space experiments, and watching Earth from above. But just after a few days, something was not right there. Reports said Shukla was "not feeling well," and behind those words, there was a very serious message that space is not lenient on anybody.

#Ax4's @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked with the @Space_Station at 6:31am ET (1031 UTC). Next, the mission crew and our NASA astronauts will prepare to open the hatches. pic.twitter.com/Qj1sgy7RzC NASA (@NASA) June 26, 2025

Living in space isn't easy, as it looks to people on the big screen. Our bodies have a habit of living on earth with gravity pulling us down. And there is only microgravity in space, which makes it different from Earth. Fluids inside the body start to flow in the opposite direction, your muscle gets weak, and your bones get weakened and start to break down. For Shukla, he was having a dizzy feeling, his stomach was not feeling well and feeling tired all the time, and this was what all called space sickness. It's a common problem that astronauts face in the first few days they spend in space.

On Earth, gravity holds the flow of fluids so that they flow in the right direction. In space, those fluids run in the opposite direction, towards your head. which has a lot of bad signs like puffiness in the face, blocked noses, headaches, and even blurry vision. It also puts pressure on the brain. These small changes collectively, and the astronaut starts feeling the discomfort, just like Shukla did.

Since there is no gravity in space, your muscles and bones start to get weaker. In fact, astronauts can lose up to 1% of their bone density every month. They have to exercise for at least two hours a day to stay healthy and in shape. Still, when they return to Earth, they take a lot of time to recover. For Shukla, this weakness may add a lot of discomfort for him.

Apart from physical problems, space also affects your mind. Astronauts live in very small spaces, far away from their families, and they can't get fresh air and sunlight. This can lead to loneliness, poor sleep, and mood changes. If Shukla feels stressed or low, that would be common because it usually happens when you come back to your atmosphere.

Shubhanshu Shukla's health condition tells us that space travel is not only about pretty views and face suits. It's a challenge for the body and the mind. As we dream of longer missions to the Moon and Mars, we need to know how space affects your body and how we can protect it. Luckily, Shukla is now feeling better and he is back to work on the ISS. But his story teaches us an important lesson: In space, every heartbeat, every bone, and every breath matters.