The One Simple Thing Singers Need to Do to Stay Well
photo by Imani Clovis
Illness strikes fear in the heart of every singer. Your instrument is your body. When you're fighting an infection, you can't sing your best — which can lead to missed rehearsals and canceled shows. But there's a simple way to prevent illness in the first place. It's something you already know how to do because whoever raised you taught you how to do it. Yep! Wash your hands!
When my voice teacher first brought up the subject of the importance of hand-washing for singers, I thought he was crazy (or maybe a little OCD like Howard Hughes, who was so germ-a-phobic he washed his hands until they bled). After more than 30 years of a performing life, I'm a convert! Washing your hands is one of the most powerful ways to ward off infection.
But it's not just a little soap and water that makes this process effective. There are two crucial steps in the hand-washing process that most people miss.
Before we get to the nitty-gritty of hand-washing, let’s take a quick look at microorganisms and what it is about them that makes those last two steps in the handwashing process so critical.
The Secret Life of Germs
If you're traveling, interacting with fans after a show, or have small children, you're exposed to a host of microbes —viruses, bacteria, and other germs, every day.
Those microbes have developed ingenious ways of traveling from host to host by hitching a ride on your hands. Germs then travel easily — from hand to hand, to a nose or mouth, or a doorknob or other hard surface.
Your Immune System
Your first line of defense is a healthy immune system. Rest and hydration are at the top of the list for maintaining vocal health. But even a healthy immune system can fail to protect you from illness. When you wash your hands correctly, your body has a fighting chance against the microbes that linger on every surface that a hand touches.
How to wash your hands
Wet your hands with running water — either warm or cold.
Apply liquid, bar, or powder soap to a cupped hand and lather well.
Rub your hands, palm to palm, vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands and wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
Rinse well.
Dry your hands with a clean towel. Then…
Use the towel to turn off the faucet.
And in a public bathroom, use the towel to open the door.
Most people miss those last two crucial steps. The handle of the faucet and the doorknob on the bathroom door are where most germs hang out. They linger on hard surfaces for 24 hours, and norovirus can last for WEEKS!
Skip the antibacterial soap
The Mayo Clinic recommends not to use antibacterial soap because it's no more effective than soap and water. "It might even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product's antimicrobial agents — making it harder to kill these germs in the future." So, do your fellow humans a favor and use the regular, garden-variety soap.
Bonus Tip
If you don't have access to soap and water, you can still clean your hands. Just carry a small, travel-sized, alcohol-based hand sanitizer. I can't tell you how many times I've watched someone sneeze into their hand right before they shake mine. Hello, I really enjoyed your show. Let me give you a little something to show my gratitude!
Ummm… thanks, but no thanks.
The Takeaway
When it comes to living a healthy life, there is no perfect. None of us eat healthy foods at every meal, exercise every day, drink the right amount of water, or wash our hands correctly every time. It's impossible!
Perfect health doesn't exist. Your environment isn't always under your control. But there are things you can do that will help your body rise to the challenge of daily living on the planet, and the extraordinary pressures of a performing life.
One of those things is so simple, even a child can do it. Here’s to your health!
