Longhaul lifestyle and effects on health ?

[l8starter]

Just done several searches and came up with zilch ? This must be a very old,well known and thorny issue to a lot pilots ! Could somebody point me in the right direction please ?

[request deferred]

The latest Australian Air Safety Digest states that Heart Disease and Mental Health were the top two health problems associated with pilots.
In regards to longhaul ops there are additional threats such 'back of the clock flying', especially east-west longhaul ops, poor diet and weight gain, alcohol and prescription medication abuse. Separation from family and friends also has a huge bearing on mental health.
If I had to pick one issue it would be alcohol abuse....without a doubt, it is so prevalent that it almost becomes the norm.

[l8starter]

Thanks for the (only) reply RD.Working away from home as I do (shorthaul flying),means time at home is always at a premium-especially if finishing on a late and starting on an early,as is the norm (can give me less than 48hours at home).

I had hoped that a) someone might have saved me some time by pointing me in the right direction-although I have now trawled through several lengthy documents with the associated brain-fade;and b) have got some anecdotal evidence from longhaul guys,as to effects and coping strategies.Its quite a big decision to switch from one kind of an operation to another,and I would like to make it as informed as possible.Maybe I'm in the wrong forum ?

With regards to alcohol-no probs,Ive got to the age where I spill most of it !!

Cheeeeeeeers,

L8

[faheel]

Article in SMH today
http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/air-crew-face-serious-health-hazards/2007/03/30/1174761717633.html
Air crew working on long haul routes face serious health hazards from jet lag, experts have warned.
Pilots and cabin crew do not build up resistance to the effects of flying long distances, said the scientists.
Menstrual irregularities were well known in female crew members who made repeated long-haul flights, and mental effects had also been reported, said the discussion paper in The Lancet medical journal.
The authors, led by Professor Jim Waterhouse, from the UK Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University, wrote: "Deficits of cognitive performance and increases in psychotic and major affective disorders have also been described.
"Such effects have not been reported in healthy travellers whose experience of time-zone transitions is far less extensive than those who regularly travel long distances."
Jet lag occurs when crossing time zones disrupts the body's daily cycles, which are set by a clock mechanism in the brain.
It is directly linked to the body's core temperature, which lowers during sleep and increases in the waking hours.
This in turn is influenced by the natural hormone melatonin, which is usually secreted during sleep. Light entering the eyes helps determine the effect of melatonin.
Journeys across three time zones or less are unlikely to cause jet lag, said the researchers.
Longer trips can result in interrupted, early or delayed sleep, mood changes, headaches, irritability and upset stomachs.
Sufferers generally need a recovery time equal to two thirds of the time zones crossed. East-bound flights usually cause worse symptoms than those heading west.
The scientists said it was wrong to assume that long haul air crew become immune to jet lag.
"Experience of time zone transitions does not act as a protection, although many aircrew members change their sleep behaviour to keep jet lag difficulties to a minimum," they wrote.
Deliberately seeking or avoiding light at the new destination can help the body adjust to a new time zone, said the authors. Maintaining daytime alertness on arrival by taking exercise or drinking coffee could also help. But the experts advised against the use of melatonin supplements until their effectiveness and safety had been more thoroughly investigated.