Working in aviation is challenging for the human beings. That's because water or air are simply not our natural environments. Unlike birds, humans are more accustomed to walking than flying.
One of the reasons I started this blog is to shed light on the "mysterious" lifestyle of cabin and flight crew and demonstrate that it is possible to stay healthy while flying up to 900 hours a year. For those of you who fancy starting a career in the sky, let's explore the challenges you might encounter and how to tackle them effectively from the beginning.
Random rosters
Your roster pattern can be fixed (e.g., 5 days ON/4 days OFF, 14 days ON/7 days OFF) or flexible. Depending on the airline you work for, you will need to adapt to a specific schedule. Typically, you will know the dates and destinations of your next flights 14 days before the end of each month. For example, on the 17th of July 2024, you will receive your roster for August 2024. Although this roster aims to minimize disruptions, you can expect to fly at any time during the day or month, including early morning flights (4-5 A.M.), late reporting (8-9 P.M.), weekends, and bank holidays (Christmas, New Year's Eve, etc.). Is easy to understand that passengers wish to fly any time of the year, and there are peak periods when crew should work at their maximum to meet the demand. However, even experienced crew can struggle to keep up with a constantly changing schedule.
Solution: My personal strategy is to start analyzing my roster as soon as possible. If I notice that during the next month, I will have mostly morning flights, I will start going to bed early (8-9 P.M. even on days off). This way, I minimize the pressure on my body by allowing it to follow its natural rhythm. On the other hand, if I remark I will have a lot of night flying during the next month, I would move all the activities I usually have in the morning to the afternoon. This helps me save some energy for the long nights ahead and not feel sleepy by 9 P.M., when I am supposed to start working.
Pre-planning is key so don't hesitate to spend some moments checking your roster to find the best strategies. After a while, you will know exactly what works best for you and your body. You will also learn from your previous mistakes and by sharing experiences with colleagues.
2. Night flying
I confess - this is a tough one for early birds like me. As humans, we have multiple ''circadian lows'' during the day. These are natural dips in our alertness and performance that occur at certain times of the day when our bodies are programmed to rest. During sleep, our brains cycle through various stages, with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage being crucial for mental recovery and overall well-being. It's fascinating how our bodies have these built-in rhythms, isn't it?
Solution: What works best for me before a night flight is taking a nap in the afternoon and having a double espresso before going to work. This gives me a boost and keeps me alert. If I want to ensure I can nap before the flight, I wake up early and go to the gym—nothing makes me more eager to sleep than a Pilates session followed by a 5 km jog!
3. Jet Lag
Oh yeah! That's new for a former short-medium haul pilot like me. 🛩🙈 Imagine you leave Europe in the evening for an 8-hour flight to the USA. When you land in the USA - is still evening! However, your body is on European time - so it behaves like it would be 4 A.M. The time difference can throw off your internal clock.
Solution: Getting good rest before the flight is crucial, especially when crossing multiple time zones. Once you arrive, decide whether to stay on European time or switch to the local time in the USA (depending on the layover). For short layovers, remaining on European time makes sense, but during longer layovers (72 hours), you might consider adjusting to the new time zone.
I am lucky: my body can adapt quickly to the sun's schedule, so I can remain active and perform all my usual activities in the USA even if it's the middle of the night in Europe.
Note: This approach applies only if you fly westbound, as for eastbound flights the strategy is completely different.
4. Dehydration
You must have felt how dry your lips or joints were after a long flight. This happens because the air in the aircraft is less humid than on the ground.
Solution: Nothing simpler than drinking lots of liquid such as still water! I always drink 2-2.5 liters during a long flight. It helps me keep hydrated and ensures my brain has the best resources. If you ''forget'' to drink, keep a glass of water nearby and make sure you drink it every 30 minutes - 1 hour, in function of your physical activity.
I also like bringing plenty of hydrating creams, lip balms and masks with me to the hotel to compensate for the dehydration I encounter during a long flight. Nothing feels better for the body than extra hydration. We all deserve some time for ourselves after a well-done job. 😍👌
5. Lack of movement
All that to say: working in aviation is not for everyone. Sometimes, you will spend lots of hours sitting down studying, flying, or simply waiting for your turn in the simulator. Physical activity is like everything in life, the less you do it, the less you feel like doing it. However, the crew must pass regular medical checks to ensure they maintain the required fitness level. So your job is dependent on your health and the attention you pay to your body. Convinced? Let's see what to do about it!
Solution: I like staying organised and constantly checking my advancements. I prefer using a smartwatch (not a high-end one - no need to worry😏🤣 ) that tracks my physical activity throughout the week and provides me with valuable data such as heart rate, maximum BPM, activity scores, number of daily steps, quality of sleep and so on. Investing in a smartwatch can be beneficial and extremely motivating.
Also, find what you enjoy the most: jogging, swimming, lifting at the gym, or hiking. The best activity is the one you can regularly engage in, not necessarily the one most people promote. If you simply enjoy taking long walks, that's fantastic! Consistently doing what you love can be even more beneficial than going to the gym.
However, joining a local gym can be a great alternative, especially when the weather isn't ideal for outdoor activities or if you lack the necessary equipment. Having more options ensures you can stay active and healthy, no matter the circumstances. Plus, it eliminates any excuses for skipping your workout!
Conclusion
That's it! You now have all the cards in your hand. I cannot stress enough how challenging a job in aviation can be. However, I can assure you that it is also one of the most rewarding. With a good action plan, you will be able to stay healthy while enjoying one of the best offices in the world!
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