Music Minute Monday: Alternative Ways To Hydrate
When you’re a vocalist, one of the most important ways to keep your voice healthy is by hydrating. Before, during, and after a performance, lesson, rehearsal, etc., it’s important to be hydrated so your vocal folds can remain in tip-top shape! However, what if you’re drinking water but you don’t feel hydrated? Or, you’re someone who simply does not enjoy water? Fear not my friend, there are a few other ways you can stay hydrated without drinking the entire water cooler.
First off, let’s start with why it’s important to stay hydrated. Your voice is first and foremost, a muscle. Your vocal folds are two muscles that vibrate together as air passes through them and creates the sound that is your voice. They are strengthened over time with proper practice and use! However, like all of the other muscles in your body, they require water to function properly. Simple as that!
How much water do you need in a day in order to stay properly hydrated? This is a widely debated subject. Some say you only need 64 ounces of water a day (8, 8 ounce glasses of water.) Some say you should drink half of your body weight in ounces in water. I am of the opinion that you should start with the baseline of 64 ounces and add as needed based on your activity level, how much you’ve been speaking, and how much you’ve been singing.
Two questions I get a lot are: “But Erin, what if I really hate water?” Or, “I’ve been drinking a ton of water and I still don’t feel hydrated, what do I do?” Well, luckily for you, there are different ways to hydrate your body. If you are drinking too much water, you may be flushing essential electrolytes out of your system needed to function. So, instead of making all 8 of those glasses of water pure water, I’d advise adding in some form of electrolyte drink such as nuun tablets (my personal go-to), Gatorade, Powerade, or Liquid IV. One thing to keep in mind is the sugar content of sports drinks and hydration mixes. Sugar can create an unwanted “film” in the back of your throat that makes it hard to sing. I personally use sugar-free nuun tablets, which you can get on Amazon. You can also add a pinch of salt, which contains the electrolytes sodium and chloride, to your water if you prefer a more holistic approach.
Another way to hydrate is by eating water-rich fruits and vegetables such as watermelon (the obvious,) cucumbers, green bell peppers, strawberries, lettuce, grapefruit, or tomatoes, all of which contain 90% or more of water. You can also sprinkle a little salt on for an added boost in electrolytes!
So, there you have it! You don’t have to drink a gallon of water a day in order to keep your voice healthy, and you don’t have to stick to just water! For more tips on your voice, give us a follow on Instagram & TikTok at @musiconthemovestudios. Want to learn even more? Sign up for your free 20 minute vocal consultation with me at the bottom of this page!