The life of a musician can be very rewarding, but it can come with its fair share of health risks.
Between the repetitive movements necessary to play your instrument to the constant touring and proximity to other people, there are plenty of opportunities to get sick or hurt. The good news is that there are many proactive measures that you can take to stay healthy for as long as possible, regardless of how wild tour life can get.
To help you out, we have compiled some tips for preventive health as a musician.
Managing Your Stress and Mental Health
While there are few careers as exciting as being a musician, it is easy to go overboard. The love of playing music for adoring fans can be very addicting, but you run the risk of going too hard and forgetting to take the time to mentally refresh. Then, you could be faced with mental health struggles down the road. Stress and anxiety are common mental health issues in the music industry. Even if you need to go from gig to gig to make money, it is important to give yourself a break from time to time and practice self-care.
Make it a point to spend time with family and do the things outside of music that you enjoy so you can come back feeling refreshed mentally and more creative. It is also important to look for healthy ways to release your frustrations, whether that is by songwriting or just writing out your thoughts in a journal before you go to sleep each night. If you constantly feel depressed or upset, then it may be a good idea to speak to a therapist who can help you to get back on the right path.
As a musician, you’ll likely spend some time in the spotlight. You want to look and perform your best, so it is easy to feel self-conscious about how you present yourself. For instance, you may have an issue with noticeable imperfections, like varicose veins from sitting long hours on a tour bus or from simply aging. If this is the case, you may not be as excited to get out on the stage. To avoid ailments like these, make sure that you get in enough movement and exercise to keep the blood flowing. Also, remember that you are human, and your imperfections are what make you unique.
Avoiding Contagious Illness While Traveling
When you are traveling from place to place, the constant movement and interactions with different people and environments can make it easier to get sick. If you know that you will be moving around a lot, then you need to boost your immunity by avoiding harmful behaviors like smoking, excessive drinking, and eating unhealthy food. You cannot recharge your immune system overnight, so lifestyle changes will be the key to avoiding the possibility of getting sick.
It is important to remember that the COVID-19 pandemic and other contagious illnesses are still a very real threat, so it is important to avoid unnecessary contact with audience members and vendors. If you get sick, then you have a better chance of also contracting COVID-19. Just like you have a traveling-musician toolkit with your screwdrivers and hex keys, you need to have a pandemic toolkit that includes several masks and a set of rules that state that audience members cannot be within six feet of you on the days that you are not feeling well.
Another physical ailment to be cautious about is hearing loss and tinnitus due to continuous loud music. It is essential that you take preventive measures or these illnesses that may permanently derail your musical career. Whether you are playing the music or you’re part of the audience, you should wear earplugs at all live concerts. When you are working in the studio, try to play the music at a lower level so you don’t cause additional harm.
Repetition-based Injuries
Some of the most common ailments that many musicians face are the repetitive-based injuries that can happen when playing an instrument the same way for days, months, or years. Playing the drums, guitar, bass, and most stringed instruments can cause problems for your wrists. Also, if you stand for long periods of time and you do not have good posture, then you could hurt your back over time.
To avoid these injuries, it is important to be aware of ongoing issues so you can make the right adjustments. If you hold your guitar lower during live performances and it hurts your back, then during practice sessions, hold it higher so you aren’t constantly in an uncomfortable position. If a hand position is causing your pain to flare up, then try a different movement and see if that works better. Also, it is important that you take breaks whenever you are feeling pain.
If your condition worsens or you simply cannot stand the pain, then it is a wise idea to visit a doctor or a massage therapist so that they can provide a more permanent solution. After they provide assistance, follow the advice they give for a full recovery. So, if they tell you to avoid a certain movement for a predetermined amount of time, then follow the advice so you can prevent the issue from happening again.
As you can see, there are several preventive measures that you can take to avoid injury, sickness, and pain as a musician. Heavily consider these tips, and you can have a long and healthy career.
By Indiana Lee
Leave a Reply