Staying Hydrated

Musician Health and Wellness
For Singers
Hydration

Water

Most serious talkers and singers have already heard that it’s important to drink a lot of water. This water does not directly “wet” the vocal folds. Swallowing water sends it down the other tube, the esophagus, into your stomach. Drinking plenty of water does make sure that the cells inside the voice box are nourished and resilient. If the body as a whole is dehydrated, the vocal folds get tired faster, and they recover more slowly from heavy use.

Recommendations on the right amount of water intake range from two quarts or two liters per day to “whatever it takes to pee pale.” A general rule of thumb is to divide your weight in pounds by 2 and drink that number of ounces (see Figure 1). Sipping your water throughout the day and evening is much more beneficial than trying to drink a lot all at once.

If you weigh:

100 lbs: aim to drink 50 oz (about 3 pints)
125 lbs: aim to drink 62 oz (about 2 quarts)
150 lbs: aim to drink 75 oz (about 5 pints)
200 lbs: aim to drink 100 oz (about 3 quarts)

People have different internal sensation of thirst, or desire for water. If your voice is working well, you may already get enough for your own system. If you notice signs of vocal fatigue and you’re not in the habit of staying hydrated, increasing the amount of water you drink is a simple first step to try. As always, use common sense. If you have heart or kidney problems, or other concerns about fluid intake, talk to your doctor before making drastic changes.

Ice-cold drinks used to be forbidden to serious vocalists. However, research has shown that it doesn’t matter whether you drink cold, hot, warm, or lukewarm beverages during rehearsal and performance. Drink whatever temperature you link, what feels best on a particular day. The main thing is to get plenty of fluids on a regular basis.

The beverages to avoid are those that contain alcohol or caffeine, especially coffee. These chemicals draw water out of the body, so they do not count toward your daily water “ration.” Eliminate them if you can, or cut back gradually, and drink enough water to compensate.

Coffee increases the severity of acid reflux. Tea and decaffeinated coffee appear to be safer. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages also disrupt sleep, and they can increase anxiety and stage-fright-related symptoms. Many people say then need caffeine boosts because they don’t sleep well – but perhaps they are not sleeping well because of drinking so much coffee!

Alcoholic beverages are generally discouraged for the serious voice user. The combined risks of dehydration, acid reflux, and uninhibited voice overuse are rarely worth it. When friends around you are drinking, you can switch to water or soda and they probably won’t notice. An occasional cocktail, beer, or glass of wine may not be a problem if your voice is otherwise working well. Just be sure that you’re getting enough fluid in other forms, and that you’re not relying on alcohol to medicate stage fright; there are better ways to relax that don’t carry the risks of throat problems or chemical addiction.

Some voice experts discourage carbonated sodas because the extra fullness in the stomach competes with more basic needs for breathing and digestion. Drinking soda before a rehearsal or performance can impair good breath technique, not to mention increasing the risks of belching in the middle of a phrase! As an alternative to carbonated soft drinks, performing artists (and others pressured to work long hours with inadequate rest) increasingly favor specially market sport, “energy,” or herbal beverages. These formulas are typically based on sugar and caffeine, sometimes in an herbal form, plus herbs or vitamins that promise to increase “pep.” But this “energy” is not free – it is borrowed from the future. Such drinks can leave you too wired to sleep well, increasing your fatigue for the next day or even week

The formulas advertised for weight loss may be lower in sugar than the rest, but high in potassium, a diuretic. Or they may be even higher in caffeine or herbal stimulants. Some ingredients have negative side effects on mood or just may not agree with your individual chemistry. Know what you are putting into your body, and why! If a doctor or other voice professional asks you about how much coffee you drink, be sure to include all sodas and energy drinks in your response.

If these beverages have been in your lifestyle for a long time when you decide to cut back, it may be better to ease off in stages rather than stopping suddenly. For instance, dilute them half and half with water for a couple of weeks, or switch to plain water after lunch. As always, know yourself and what works for you.

The simplest sports drinks are designed to replace sugar and electrolytes (minerals) lost during hard exercise. Unless you also dance for hours every day or exercise heavily, these drinks are not typically necessary for singers or talkers. The newest “vitamin waters” have no evidence of being harmful. They’re just expensive and unnecessary. Fresh juicy fruits and vegetables (melon, cucumber, apples, pears, jicama, and so on) can help keep your mouth moist and your body generally hydrated; they also contain fiber (protective against reflux) and micronutrients that are not found in the vitamin drinks.