Get paid to sleep! German Aerospace Centre seeks volunteers

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Cologne is seeking volunteers.

Participants are needed to join in a groundbreaking bed rest study scheduled to commence in September 2024, spanning two months.

In exchange for their commitment, participants will receive compensation of €18,000 for their time and contribution.

However, there’s a twist to this study: participants will be required to spend 60 days lying in bed at an inclined angle of 6 degrees, with their feet positioned higher than their heads.

This setup is designed to simulate the effects of space on the human body, replicating the conditions experienced by astronauts.

According to Edwin Mulder, the head of the study at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine, this inclined position induces similar shifts in body fluids as observed in space.

The study is conducted in collaboration with NASA, aiming to understand and mitigate the physiological effects of microgravity on space travellers.

In total, participants will spend 88 days at the DLR centre, including preparation and follow-up periods.

The DLR has a long history of conducting bed rest studies since the 1980s, contributing significantly to space medicine research.

Applications are open to individuals aged 24 to 55, with a height ranging from 1.53 to 1.90 metres and a BMI between 18 and 30.

Prospective participants must be in good health, non-smokers, and proficient in German.