|
Backstage at the Hollywood Bowl, a classic example of live and learn is unfolding. There are two bands on the bill, both are clients of mine. The headliner is a veteran rock institution, a legendary band that has survived an alphabet's worth of life lessons. The opener is a guitar-slinging teenage prodigy, still learning his ABC's. When I ask the young star how he's feeling, he slumps his shoulders and lets the word "exhausted" fall from his lips. I pull the road manager aside and warn him, as I have in the past, of the repercussions of singing without enough rest. In his defense, the manager shows me the itinerary, with at least six hours sleep allotted for each day. Scheduling, as it turns out, is not the problem. The real challenge is convincing singers of the importance of rest.
A good night's sleep is the best thing you can do for your voice, period. Rest is a vital component of the body's biological cycle, and it takes six to eight hours to recharge. It's easy to deny the subtle signals to hit the sack, especially working two jobs, rehearsing, gigging and recording until dawn, but never beneficial to your body. Remember, we are not nocturnal by nature. Challenge your internal clock for too long and sleepiness becomes sleep deprivation. Although symptoms like a lack of focus, muscle fatigue, poor digestion and dehydration are typical for musicians, they are unacceptable for the voice.
Busy singers must take a pro-active approach to their needs. If you can't get the quantity you want, go for quality. To insure falling asleep quickly, use your bed only for slumber. Sitting on the mattress while writing lyrics or strumming your guitar sends mixed messages to the brain when you lay down. This can be a challenge in a tiny hotel room; I usually sit on the bureau or TV set. If you have trouble nodding off in general, try exercising about six hours before you plan on counting sheep. The activity raises your temperature for a while and than lowers it, making it easier to sleep. A hot shower or bath two hours before bedtime does the same trick. Coffee, tobacco and chocolate are stimulants and should be avoided four hours prior to touch down. Our body clock is based on sunlight, so make sure you see plenty off it. Sit near a window, take a walk outside, or, if you're in the studio all day, forgo the mood lighting and brighten the room considerably. Otherwise, your body won't appreciate bedtime.
Once you're between the sheets, insure an uninterrupted deep sleep by making the room completely dark, quiet and cool (about 65 degrees). Light, registered through your eyelids, distracting noises and a rising body temperature are all signals to get up. Alcohol might help you drop off but then disturbs the rest once the buzz wears off. Set an alarm clock to ease worries about over-sleeping and honor it when it goes off. A snooze button does nothing but make you feel cheated and groggy. You can train your body to get along with less sleep but you have to be consistent. Slowly adjust your sleep time as gigs, recordings or travel into new time zones approach. If you feel a slump mid-day, a power nap can do wonders, but you must follow a particular ritual. In a well lit room, lay down on anything but your bed. Set an alarm for twenty minutes, let your eyes close and your mind unwind. Don't linger a minute past twenty or you'll fool the body into thinking it's bedtime. Once you train yourself, these naps can be a savior. I resort to them daily.
After the Hollywood Bowl show, the young gun is not pleased with his performance but shrugs it off and begins to organize a big night out. When I remind him of his early flight he smiles, takes a drag on his warn-down cigarette and says, "Don't worry, it's only rock-n-roll." To some extent he's right, but the headlining lead singer is no pansy, sang great despite a killer cold, and is back at his hotel before the house lights come up. The veteran has learned that superstar status is maintained by kicking ass on stage every single show. To summon the energy for tomorrow's show, he knows he needs the power of ZZZ's.
back to top |
 |
