Collingswood, NJ is beautiful in the fall! The colors of the trees are changing, houses are decorated with pumpkins and lights, the air is cool and there is a familiar scent of fallen leaves…And also, the dreaded sounds of your friends and family coughing and sneezing around you.
Fall can be such a beautiful time, but with the cold weather comes cold and flu season. For singers, this can feel like the end of the world, as coughing and sneezing makes singing nearly impossible, not to mention the possibility of losing your voice! As a vocalist with performances lined up throughout the fall season, I can not afford to be sick, so I have 4 helpful tips and tricks to keep you healthy, and of course, help you kick that cold if you do happen to catch it.
- Scarves: Stay warm, look fashionable, AND keep yourself healthy? Yes please! Wearing a scarf keeps the throat and chest warm, in order to keep the temperature of those muscles stable and warm in the changing weather.
- Drinking Tea: It’s no surprise that drinking tea is helpful for your throat. Drinking herbal (caffeine free) teas with a bit of honey help to soothe the throat and hydrate. My personal favorites are any herbal tea with ginger in it, or Celestial Seasoning’s Sleepy Time Tea.
- Vocal Rest: Oh great. You caught the cold, now what? When dealing with colds, it is important to rest and give yourself time to recover. Like you, your voice also needs time to rest and recover, so give your voice a break from singing. Coughing and sneezing is extremely hard on the vocal chords, not to mention excess phlegm and irritation occurring - all of this can make the voice incredibly fatigued and uncomfortable. During this time, it is important to not overwork the voice, and sometimes full vocal rest is necessary. Skipping a lesson (or skipping a performance) may be frustrating and upsetting, but giving your voice time to heal will help you in the long run.
- Hydrate Hydrate HYDRATE: Too often, I encounter singers waiting to go onstage or into an audition, quickly going through an entire bottle of water. What’s wrong with this picture? Last minute hydration is unfortunately too little, too late. For the days leading up to a performance (and at all times), singers should make sure they are getting enough water in order to lubricate the vocal folds, which keeps them from becoming irritated. Also, try drinking room temperature water rather than cold water - it’s better for the muscles in your nose and throat.
Wow, I could talk about vocal health all day! If you would like more information about anything discussed within this Blog post, or have any questions about other vocal related health problems, get in contact with us!
Have a happy and healthy Fall Season!