Four Ways Musicians Can Look After Their Health On Tour

Four Ways Musicians Can Look After Their Health On Tour

When you’re touring the country, it’s easy to let your health take a back seat. You’re constantly traveling in buses or cars, intently focused on your music, and often eating and drinking far more than you should. Over time, this lifestyle can take a toll on your mental and physical wellbeing. If you’re not careful, you may end up gaining weight, becoming stressed, and experiencing a higher risk of ailments like heart disease and stroke.

If this is to be a permanent career, it’s essential you make some fundamental changes to your lifestyle and attitudes to health. To help you maintain good habits on tour, here are four ways to look after your wellbeing. 

Pick the healthy option

If you’re eating out or getting takeaways every day, be careful about what you choose. There’s nothing wrong with wolfing down a huge burger occasionally, but if it’s every single night then there’s a problem. Make an effort to pick a healthier option, like a salad or something with plenty of vegetables. You’ll perform better on a lighter stomach and you won’t feel so sluggish afterwards.

Limit the booze

After a successful gig, it’s understandable you want to go out and celebrate but you can’t maintain this over several weeks. Make a conscious effort to consume less alcohol, opting for soft drinks instead. You will feel clearer, sleep better, and be less prone to hangovers and low mood. And if you are the kind of person who occasionally says yes to more illicit substances, this is the first thing you should cut out.

Get more sleep

When you’re on the road you should use any opportunity to get some rest. You may be staying in noisy hotels all the time, but invest in some earplugs or play some relaxing music or mindfulness podcasts to get you off to sleep. When traveling from place to place, try to squeeze in a few naps here and there to give you a quick boost. As long as you’re not the one driving of course!

Lower your stress levels

Touring is an inherently stressful business, and it’s understandable you might be feeling anxious and rushed off your feet a lot of the time. But being stressed for an extended period can be incredibly bad for your mental health, potentially leading to burnout or depression. Take steps to lower the amount of stress involved in the proceedings. Plan everything in advance and get to venues early so you are not frantically working to set up. As mentioned, get plenty of sleep, and find coping mechanisms that help you feel more relaxed, such as mindfulness, music, or chatting with loved ones. If your stress is really bad, there are medications and treatments you can take, such as beta blockers, SSRIs, and CBD oil. Find something that works for you and stick to it.

Transforming your health doesn’t happen overnight, but maintaining good habits makes a big difference. Follow these four tips and you will be able to enjoy a much more sustainable lifestyle when out on the road.