Honor Thy Spacesuit: Understanding Body Care and Maintenance

We all walk around in a “spacesuit.” Not the kind astronauts wear, but the one we each wake up in every day — our body. This vessel carries us through life, and like any suit, it deserves care, respect, and maintenance.

Thinking about our bodies this way helps separate them from our minds and spirits. Each part of who we are needs different kinds of love. When we stop mixing them all together, it becomes easier to listen to what our bodies are actually saying — without the noise of conditioning, excuses, or guilt.

The Importance of Body Awareness

Advertisers love to compare the body to a machine — “feed the machine,” “burn clean fuel,” you know the drill. But your body isn’t just a machine. It wasn’t built in a factory with a manual. It’s a living system designed through natural selection — which means it’s adaptive, responsive, and always talking to you.

Unlike machines, you don’t come with a warranty — but you do come with an operating system that never stops sending alerts.

Understanding our body as a “spacesuit” encourages deeper awareness of its needs. Just as astronauts must regularly check their equipment, we too must pay attention to our physical state. For example, studies show that nearly 80% of adults experience stress-related symptoms. When you tune into your body, you can identify when you feel tired or stressed, allowing you to take proactive steps toward self-care.

The only problem with that is most of us have been conditioned to ignore the interface. Hunger, fatigue, brain fog, insomnia — those are your body’s dashboard lights. But instead of pulling over, we override the warnings with caffeine, sugar, or a quick excuse: “Oh, that’s just my genetics.” Ignoring those signals doesn’t make them disappear. It just teaches your body to yell louder.

Listening to Your Body

Listening to your body is vital. Often, we ignore signals and push through fatigue or discomfort for productivity’s sake. For example, around 60% of employees report feeling burned out — and most of us wear it like a badge of honor until our body forces us to sit down.

Tired: The First Red Flag

Let’s start with the one everyone knows: feeling tired. Fatigue is one of the body’s clearest ways of saying, “Hey, I’m not getting what I need here.”

But in modern life, we normalize exhaustion. We skip breakfast, down coffee, grab something out of the vending machine, and call it fuel. Coffee blocks the receptors that let you know when your body is depleted — so instead of fixing the root cause, you’ve just muted the alarm. Over time, that compounds into bigger issues.

Add in weight-loss culture telling people to suppress hunger, or workaholic culture telling us sleep is lazy, and you’ve got a whole society treating fatigue like it’s optional.

Recognizing signs of fatigue is key. If you notice persistent tiredness, take a moment to assess your recent activities. Maybe you need more sleep or missed meals. Listening to these signals can lead to better decisions, helping you determine when to rest, when to eat, or when to engage in activities.

Practicing mindfulness can help you distinguish between physical and mental fatigue. Physical fatigue often requires rest, while mental fatigue may need a change of scenery or a break from routine. Simple practices like a five-minute breathing exercise can enhance your awareness, enabling you to respond more appropriately to your body’s needs.

The Role of Nutrition

Nutrition is a cornerstone of maintaining our spacesuit. Just as a car needs the right kind of fuel, our bodies need a balanced diet to function well. Research shows that individuals who consume five servings of fruits and vegetables daily can experience a 20% decrease in the risk of chronic diseases.

To support your body, focus on whole foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Consider a colorful plate filled with leafy greens, berries, quinoa, and grilled chicken. Staying hydrated is equally important. The National Academies recommend that women consume about 2.7 liters and men about 3.7 liters of total daily water, which is essential for digestion, circulation, and temperature regulation.

Food, Cost, and Greed

Here’s where it gets trickier: even when you want to eat better, the system makes it hard. Fresh fruits and vegetables cost more than fast food. Supplements are expensive and often incomplete. And let’s be honest — corporations care more about profits than your long-term health.

The truth? The system makes junk food cheap and health food feel like a luxury item. That’s not a personal failure, that’s profit margins at work.

That’s why small steps matter: keep berries or raw veggies handy. Grow herbs in pots, or build a small raised bed. Visit local farms or markets. Urban gardening isn’t just about saving money — it’s also a way to reconnect your body with the natural rhythms it craves. Plus, hauling dirt around for a few minutes a day doubles as exercise.

This image is totally AI-Generated, hence the giant fruit and vegetables, but the numbers are real!

Healthy Cart

Think: produce-heavy, whole foods, and basics for meals.

• Fresh berries (2–3 clamshells): $12–15

• Leafy greens (3 bags or bunches): $10–12

• Other veggies (carrots, peppers, broccoli, onions, potatoes): $25–30

• Fresh fruit (bananas, apples, citrus, melons): $25–30

• Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats): $15–20

• Lean protein (chicken, fish, tofu, eggs): $35–40

• Healthy extras (nuts, seeds, olive oil): $25–30

Total: ~$140–155

Junk Food Cart

Think: convenience, processed snacks, soda, frozen meals.

• Chips (5 bags): $20–25

• Soda (24-pack): $10–12

• Frozen pizza (3): $18–20

• Packaged sweets (cookies, candy, donuts): $20–25

• Boxed meals / mac & cheese / ramen: $10–15

• Processed meats (hot dogs, deli slices): $15–18

Total: ~$90–100

The Power of Movement

Movement is essential for honoring our spacesuit. Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight and boosts mood. Activities you enjoy — whether dancing, hiking, or yoga — can transform exercise from a chore into a celebration of your body.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This could include brisk walking or cycling, alongside two days of strength training. Make sure to listen to your body. If a particular activity causes pain, it’s important to modify or take a break to prevent injuries.

Rest and Recovery

Rest is often overlooked but is vital for body care. Just as a spacesuit requires maintenance, our bodies need recovery time from daily wear and tear. For instance, adults need between seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night for overall health.

To support better sleep, create a bedtime routine. Keep a consistent schedule, make your sleep environment comfortable, and limit screen time before bed. Simple strategies like reading or meditating can also help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.

Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Taking care of our spacesuit means ensuring our mental and emotional health too. The mind and body are interconnected. For instance, studies have shown that engaging in mindfulness practices can reduce anxiety by up to 30%.

Activities that promote mental well-being, like journaling or spending time outdoors, help maintain balance. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, reaching out to family or friends or seeking help from a mental health professional can be beneficial. Talking about feelings can aid in processing emotions and reducing stress.

Honoring the Suit = Listening to It

When you start treating your body like the badass spacesuit it is, you stop dismissing its messages. Feeling tired isn’t a flaw — it’s feedback. The more you learn to hear those subtle cues, the easier it becomes to adjust before things spiral into full-blown issues.

Your body isn’t fragile, it’s stubborn as hell — but stubborn things still break if you ignore them.

The truth is, ignoring your body’s interface doesn’t just cost energy. It chips away at quality of life.

The Joy Factor

Here’s something most “health” advice skips: joy is part of the operating system, too. Play, fun, purpose — these are just as vital as nutrition and sleep. Studies show people who prioritize joy live longer, healthier lives.

Think of it as the hidden upgrade pack nobody told you about. Make space for it. Laugh. Dance. Garden. Share meals with people you love. These things aren’t extra; they’re fuel.

Final Thoughts

Honoring our spacesuit is about recognizing the importance of body care and maintenance. By developing body awareness, listening to our physical needs, and prioritizing nutrition, movement, rest, and mental well-being, we can foster a healthier relationship with our bodies.

As we navigate through life, let’s remember to treat our bodies with the respect they deserve. They are the vessels that carry us through our unique journeys.

By taking the time to honor our spacesuits, we can enhance our quality of life and embrace the adventures that lie ahead.

Moving Forward

This is just Part One. Next, we’ll go deeper into those other subtle signals in how your body speaks to you, how to hear it more clearly, and how to honor the suit you’ve been given.

At the end of the day, your body isn’t just the thing carrying you around. It’s your spacesuit for this ride — and like any good suit, it only takes you as far as you’re willing to care for it. Ignore it, and you burn out early. Honor it, and you just might discover how much farther — and freer — you were built to go.