Anna Messenger, CWMEA President-Elect wmeacollegiate@gmail.com
Holistic Health for Music Majors
T he music major workload of classes, ensemble rehears -
everyone, but especially for heavy voice users, as it takes time for the water we drink to hydrate the vocal folds and keep them lubricated. In a crunch, using a steamer or neb - ulizer can help to get moisture straight to the vocal folds if you feel a bit dry before a rehearsal, performance, or any long period of vocal use, such as a lecture. Emotional health: how we think, feel, and acknowl - edge our emotions. Mental Health: our cognitive and behavioral well-being. For music majors: we have the tendency to have a “go, go, go” mindset, driven by the feeling that we need to be the best, and we fail to prioritize the rest we need. We are students, we are learning, and we don’t need to put that pressure on ourselves to be perfect, especially when it af - fects our health. Physical and mental breaks are important to allow our minds and muscles to recover between ses - sions. When you reach a point where you cannot practice effectively, or maintain the other pillars of health, it is time to rest. Your instrument will be there tomorrow. Trying to force yourself to practice through the fatigue will not help you or your skills. It’s important to know your limits to avoid burnout. Another way to combat this is to find a hob - by outside of music. When music, or anything, consumes your life, you eventually tire of it. We all want to excel in our practice, but working yourself so hard that you burn out is not the way. Having an avenue other than music that you enjoy is important to maintain a well-rounded lifestyle and to “feed the soul”. Therapy or counseling can be beneficial to managing your emotional and mental health. This can be through your university’s counseling services, or by finding a thera - pist through an agency or private practice. You don’t need to be going through a major life crisis or a certain diagnosis to go to therapy. Therapy can also simply be about learn - ing to manage your emotional and mental health, develop coping skills, improve interpersonal relationships, deal with stress, or just have someone to talk to help sort out your feelings (Healthline). Social health: our connections with friends, family, and community. For music majors: most of us are part of an ensemble where we socialize with those who share the same musical interest, but if you’re not, join one! You can also consider joining a non-music club to enjoy other areas of interest and meet more people. On the flip side, knowing when and where to set boundaries with those already in your life is important for both your social and emotional well-being - take a step back from those who bring stress or negative energy into your life.
als, practice, and studying can lead to health issues if not managed properly. Add this on top of the already stressful personal, financial, or professional lives we lead alongside our studies, and life can quickly feel overwhelming as soon as even one crisis hits. It’s important to take a holistic view of health to keep yourself going and ultimately avoid burn - out. Holistic health is the approach of caring for the whole person. There are five pillars of holistic health: physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual. Each of these pil - lars will be discussed with attention to music majors. Physical health: wellness of the body and its functions. The primary aspects of physical health are exercise, diet, and sleep. For music majors: physical health is important to all musicians. For singers, your body IS your instrument. For instrumentalists, you use much of your body to properly play your instrument. This means keeping yourself in shape to be able to endure hours of rehearsals and concerts with - out letting your body give out on you. Exercise is a great way to keep the body (and mind!) healthy through daily movement and/or strength training. This doesn’t mean having to do high-intensity interval training workouts or running a marathon. Don’t underestimate the power of a morning walk to keep yourself active and your mind clear. Musicians are athletes. As much as football players need to stretch their limbs, vocalists need to warm up their voices, and instrumentalists need to keep their fingers primed for playing. Don’t go into rehearsals and practice sessions cold and ill-prepared for the physical work involved. In conjunction with exercise, keeping a healthy and balanced diet is vital to fueling these daily activities. The importance of sleep cannot be overstated. Fatigue will eventually catch up to you, and your body will force itself to rest whether it’s convenient or not. Sleep is the time your body gets to recharge and work to support brain function and physical health. A lack of sleep also makes it more difficult to focus and think clearly (National Institutes for Health). Try to prioritize getting a full night’s sleep, or working power naps into your day. Vocal health is another aspect of physical health that is vital to not only singers, but to all teachers, as the daily vocal demand can put a lot of pressure on the vocal folds and easily wear them out if not taken care of prop - erly. To start with the obvious - avoid smoking. The toxins passing through the vocal folds swell them and make them prone to damage such as bruising and scarring (Center for Vocal Health). Similarly, avoid any harsh activity on the vocal folds, such as shouting for long periods of time at a football game, or even singing beyond your physical capacity for the day. Consistent hydration is important for
See Collegiate President-Elect, Page 41
Voice of Washington Music Educators Association January 2023
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