Astronaut shares tips on how to stay sane in quarantine

With more than a third of the world's population forced to stay in their homes to slow the coronavirus pandemic, many are concerned about how long they will spend in isolation.

But even in quarantine, he can find something that “gives pleasure,” says Russian cosmonautics veteran Fyodor Yurchikhin.

The 61-year-old, who has completed five space flights, spent 671 days on board the International Space Station (ISS), says that the main thing is to stay in a positive mood.

Here are his five tips for surviving in isolation:

Breathe the air.

On the ISS, astronauts work “in an alien environment, surrounded by metal and plastic,” Yurchikhin said.

'There are no trees and no plants – other than those used for experiments, but we treat it as if it were our home.

'But you guys are really home!

Remember that in space it is really impossible to get out and get some air. At home, you can always open the windows or go to the balcony, 'says the cosmonaut.

Call your friends.

“Remember, you have relatives and friends with whom you have not spoken for centuries because you were too busy.”

Why not call them every day while you are in isolation, Yurchikhin said.

“This is the perfect time to hang out with friends.”

Family time.

Yurchikhin urges those in quarantine to use this time to “establish a completely different style of communication in the family” and pay more attention to children.

Now is the right time to do something that has been delayed for years: finally, hang a painting on the wall, go through archives, or read a book.

'Take care of it today, because when the quarantine is over, you won't come back to it again!'

Don't forget about your health!

“You can influence your fitness,” says Yurchikhin. 'This is why you should play sports.'

You don't need to go to the gym to train 'at least twice a day for 30 minutes'. With the many yoga or aerobics courses available online, “you can do this at home,” he says.