After five days in a dark cave, a scientist emerged with life-changing insights

Bioengineer Kiana Aran voluntarily spent five days in a "darkness cabin" in Poland, foregoing all light, sound, and external interaction to conduct a personal scientific experiment. Unlike many who seek self-discovery in such retreats, Aran's primary goal was to meticulously document the physiological and psychological effects of complete sensory deprivation on her own body.

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What they told me was scary but also got me more excited to see what happens.

Equipped with sensors to track her sleep patterns, glucose levels, heart rate, and blood pressure, and carrying swabs to measure her microbiome, Aran entered the darkness cabin. She aimed to understand how the absence of external stimuli would impact her biological functions. The experience, while initially offering a sense of calm and a break from digital life, soon became intensely challenging.

By the second day, Aran began questioning her ability to endure the solitude and noted a distortion of time. Her circadian rhythm shifted dramatically, making it difficult to distinguish day from night. By the third day, the psychological toll intensified, leading her to experience visual phenomena in the complete darkness.

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But then by day two I was just asking myself how I could survive, why time wasn't passing. I didn't know if it was day or night, my circadian rhythm completely shifted; it became extremely difficult by day three.

Aran's experiment aligns with a growing trend of wellness retreats offering darkness experiences, which are touted to lead to profound self-reflection. However, her account, detailed in Nature, highlights the extreme psychological challenges reported by others, such as crypto founder Charles Hoskinson and writer Chris Colin, who described unsettling visions and overwhelming experiences. The practice, while ancient in spiritual traditions, is noted as being psychologically demanding.

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I wanted to feel life again.