Take control
The ATCO lifestyle carries health risks which controllers would be wise to mitigate.
Being comfortably off affords ample opportunity for over indulgence in foods that are bad for us. It is easy to spend the working cycle relying on ready meals that are high in salt and saturated fat. Sugar-laden treats are never far from the operational environment. Do all controllers ensure that the proportion of vegetables and fruit in their diet is healthy? As controlling is a sedentary task, ATCOs should also exercise regularly.
The ATCO shift pattern may not necessarily be unhealthy in itself, however in today's busy culture, it can be tempting to go to bed too late the night before morning shifts, or to take inadequate sleep between night duties. A sustained period of inadequate rest will lead to a long-term sleep debt from which physical side-effects are likely.
Although the job is wrongly perceived as inherently stressful, psychological factors could play a role due to the personality traits shared by many ATCOs. The bad-tempered, road rage-like feeling of "headset syndrome" when our desire for order and conformity is disturbed could be a manifestation of stress, and would be unhealthy if allowed to accumulate unchecked over a long period.
Finally, aerodrome controllers’ exposure to aircraft fumes and proximity to radars and aerials might also have adverse effects.
Everyone should consider the effects of the combination of their diet, exercise, rest, psychological well-being and environmental factors, and take positive steps to take care of themselves as best they can.