Whether you’re rehearsing, touring, performing or working behind the scenes, looking after your wellbeing is essential to sustaining your career as a performing arts professional.
Long days, irregular schedules and the physical and mental demands of the performing arts can all take their toll over time. Fortunately, there are plenty of practical steps you can take to support your health.
In the Performer’s Wellbeing Toolkit, you’ll find some useful resources from BAPAM and our partners to help you perform at your best.
Eating Well Around Rehearsals, Performances and Touring
Have you ever questioned the food you eat? Good nutrition supports energy levels, concentration, recovery, immunity and even vocal health for performers.
Some practical nutrition tips include:
- Aim to include a source of protein, wholegrain carbohydrates and plenty of fruit or vegetables across the day.
- Spread your food intake throughout the day instead of relying on one large meal.
- If you’re touring, keep shelf-stable snacks such as oatcakes, nuts, seeds or dried fruit on hand.
- Choose lighter meals or snacks before a performance and save larger meals for earlier in the day where possible.
BAPAM’s Dietary Advice for Performance Professionals offers practical guidance for managing irregular schedules, planning meals around performances and making balanced choices while touring. It also includes advice on hydration and healthy snacks, and when it may be helpful to seek advice from a GP, registered dietitian, or a provider of creative professional health services.
Understanding Persistent Throat Symptoms and Reflux
For many performing arts professionals, the voice is one of their most valuable tools.
A croaky voice, frequent throat clearing or the feeling of a lump in your throat can have several different causes, including dryness, muscle tension or reflux. However, it’s good to understand these issues so that you can manage them and make sure your throat is well.
BAPAM’s Persistent Throat Symptoms and Reflux resource explains these symptoms, shares practical self-care strategies and outlines lifestyle changes that may help. Professional healthy performance training advice about your technique may help you avoid preventable problems. Remember that if throat or reflux symptoms persist for more than three weeks, it is important to seek medical advice.
Recognise and Reduce Vocal Overload
Building on the point above, as professional voice users often ask a lot of their voices, BAPAM wants to draw attention to vocal overload. Long rehearsals, loud environments, shouting or singing without adequate rest can all contribute to this occurrence.
BAPAM’s Vocal Overload guidance explains how vocal overload develops, highlights common risk factors and offers practical advice to help performers, production teams and managers reduce unnecessary strain on the voice.
Use Saline Nebulisation and Steam Safely
Another voice-related concern, if your voice feels dry or tired, topical hydration may help improve comfort. BAPAM’s Saline Nebulisation and Steam Safety guidance explains the differences between saline nebulisation and steam inhalation, including when each may be appropriate and how to use them safely.
Key reminders include:
- Use saline nebulisation with a clean, well-maintained device.
- Never inhale steam directly from boiling water.
- Avoid adding essential oils unless advised by a healthcare professional.
- Keep drinking fluids throughout the day, as topical hydration works best alongside good overall hydration.
Prioritise Everyday Self-Care
Moving away from vocal-based tools, BAPAM wants to remind readers that healthy habits do not have to be complicated. Small, consistent actions can help you stay well, recover more effectively and keep doing what you love.
Some simple ways to support your wellbeing include:
- Staying hydrated throughout the day.
- Eating regular, balanced meals where possible.
- Making time for rest and recovery.
- Paying attention to early signs that something is not quite right.
- Seeking advice early if a health concern is affecting your work.
Read more about self-care tips for creatives.
Musicians: Explore InTune
If you are a PRS member, InTune is a free digital wellbeing tool created by the PRS Members’ Fund in partnership with BAPAM that may help your practice.
InTune provides personalised guidance on common challenges faced by songwriters and composers, including isolation, motivation, financial worries and mental wellbeing. As part of a wider network of creative professional health services in the UK, the tool also signposts additional resources and support to help you build healthy routines and thrive creatively.
Learn why you should be InTune now.
BAPAM Can Support Your Whole Wellbeing
The resources in the toolkit above are just one part of the support available through BAPAM.
Supporting the performing arts in London and across the UK, BAPAM provides expert advice, clinical support and evidence-based resources for people working in the creative industries. Whether you have concerns about your voice, nutrition, hearing, physical health, mental wellbeing or another issue affecting your work, help is available.
If a health concern is affecting your practice or performance, reaching out early can help you get back to doing what you do best. Learn more about who we are or contact us now.