The Chajnantor is a privileged place for the astronomical world, but few know what it is like to work at that altitude. For this reason, we have received numerous visits from experts in Hypoxia to determine the impact of the lack of oxygen on the brain. The latest of such visits occurred last August, when five researchers from the University of Calgary observed for themselves the impact on sleep quality and physiological effects of working at 2,900 and 5,050 meters.
“A lot of organizations that work at altitude, whether it’s climbing, trekking, mining, or other things you have to explain to them what our research is about, but ALMA is already doing research on this topic, so it’s perfect,” says Matiram Pun, one of the researchers.
The PhD students funded by different institutions such as Brain Create, Alberta Innovates Data-Enabled Award, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, among others, were exposed for the first time to these conditions, so they acted as “patient zero”: Measurements were made before going up, then at OSF, and again upon returning to Santiago.
“Our understanding of altitude has completely changed. This is our first experience at altitude, so it was very different than reading about it. It’s very difficult to function without oxygen at altitude, and even at lower oxygen levels it’s very difficult to function normally,” says Shane Magnison-Benoit, a researcher at the University of Calgary.
The researchers welcomed measures already taken by ALMA, such as weekly shifts, where you sleep at 2,900 meters, go up for limited hours to the AOS, with oxygen available to everyone, and come back down to sleep.
In any case, they recommend screening all personnel going up to AOS, to make sure other pre-existing conditions are treated: “You have to watch out for obstructive sleep apnea. If you have difficulty breathing at night, it’s probably good to seek medical help, because sleeping at 2,900 meters is more intense than at sea level,” says Alison Donald, a PhD student at the University of Calgary.
As part of this memorable visit, they had the opportunity to stay overnight at the AOS, under the watchful eye of our Health and Safety team: “It’s like you’re up all night, drifting in and out of sleep. Your body tries to recover, but it can’t because of the lack of oxygen,” Shane relates.
A unique research experience, but one they would be unlikely to repeat: “As scientists, we always want more data, but we may find different participants,” Shane concludes with a chuckle.
The results of this research will help us to adopt future interventions in our health program to improve the sleep quality of our employees during their shifts at OSF.
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