I’ve been under the weather recently. I had to take a sick day off work last week, which is rare for me. For a few days I could barely concentrate, or get a coherent sentence out. My social plans were affected, I couldn’t sleep very well, I couldn’t play the new video game I’d been so excited for. And for a while, I couldn’t even sing.
Sound familiar? I’m sure it does. A lot of ailments, because they affect your throat or your head or otherwise, mean that it’s not wise – or perhaps not possible – to sing for while. You may not feel like singing at all. And if you do, it strains, or hurts. I’ve been there, and it’s the worst.
How does a singer cope with this? Especially a choral singer, who thrives on their weekly rehearsals?
How to get back to singing when you’re sick…
Are you a singer who’s sick right now? Do you want to get back to singing ASAP? I have the best tip for you. Seriously. Are you ready? Here it is:
Rest, recover, and wait until you’re ready.
Unfortunately, all the will in the world won’t get your body and mind to recover quicker. If you take singing seriously, you have to take your health seriously too. Sleep, rest, lots of fluid, adequate food, peace and quiet – these are the absolute fastest routes back to singing again. Trying to sing sooner than you’re ready will just make things worse, and you’ll be suffering for even longer.
The power of patience
I know. It’s really frustrating. You’ve read the above advice a million times before, but it doesn’t feel that helpful. I’m the same – every time I’m too sick to sing, I scour the internet looking for the one secret suggestion that will fix everything. A special way of clearing your throat, or a magic concoction, just the right mix of honey and garlic and lemon and crushed paracetamol to instantly cure me. I don’t want to wait! I don’t want hear a well-loved song and just stay silent as it plays! I want to sing now!
I’m still expecting, on some fateful day, for someone in the depths of Reddit to share the long-awaited magic instant cure. But in the meantime, it’s best we all do the boring thing. Take it slow, and wait until we’re healed enough to be ready.
Not convinced? Well, consider this: if you drag yourself to rehearsal while you’re sick, you may make everyone else in choir sick too. And then everyone will be too ill for the next concert, and it’ll be a disaster with no one there, and it’ll all be your fault, and everyone will be mad at you forever and ever and ever.
Well, maybe that’s slightly embellished, but the gist is still correct. Don’t fancy facing that? Then I think we’re all agreed that it’s best to be patient and recover the slow, old-fashioned way.
In the meantime, you can look ahead to Vivamus’ spring concert, where I promise everyone will be hale and hearty. Book your spring concert tickets now.
Post written by Swéta Rana.