How to Deal With Seasonal Allergies

Benvenuto, everyone!

With the throes of allergy season upon us, and concert season fast approaching, singers everywhere are fighting to keep their voices strong against the pollen. While I am, by no means, a professional on the subject, I have gathered some useful tips and tricks to help me singing through the spring.

1.     Get plenty of sleep

For singers, getting enough sleep is essential. During allergy season, sleep becomes even more important. Our voices undergo many stressors, and lack of appropriate sleep can be one of the first reasons for a tired voice. Allergies and exhaustion do not mix well.

2.     Over the Counter Medications

Should you feel that tickle in the back of your throat, jump on the trusty old OTC medicines. In my family, we call it the allergy season cocktail, and it may be different for each person, depending on their allergy symptoms. When I suffer through allergy symptoms, I usually take a 24-hour allergy relief like Claritin, an antihistamine like Benadryl, and a nasal decongestant like Sudafed.

3.     Drink lots of water

You can take the best medicines in the world for your allergies and get the most satisfying sleep you’ve ever had, but that means nothing if you haven’t been drinking enough water. Your vocal cords are one of the last parts of your body to hydrate. When your body is wracked with allergy symptoms, your body will use its water resources to fight the allergens instead of hydrating your vocal folds, not to mention the cocktail of medications that will dehydrate you. Drink more water than you think you need!

4.     Drink some tea and pop a cough drop

There’s nothing that soothes a sore throat like a cup of hot tea. As long as the tea is caffeine-free, you have your pick. I find, though, that lemon or mint tea with a bit of honey feels the nicest and works best. You can also use cough drops for a more convenient (and sometimes menthol-y) fix, but it’s always nice to sit down with a cup of warm comfort.

5.     Go on vocal rest

If you know that your allergies affect your voice through the season, start by taking it easy. If your voice is tired, don’t put extra strain on it my singing with full power or even don’t sing at all for a little bit. Use lip trills or sing through a straw to keep your voice warm, but don’t push it.

6.     Ask your doctor about getting a steroid pack.

It’s a week before your concert and allergies have hit you hard, you’ve either lost your voice or it’s fading fast. It may seem hopeless that your voice will rejuvenate before the concert, you may have one last resort. Talk to your doctor about a round of steroids to kickstart your voice for what you need. Just remember to keep extra hydrated and take it easy. While steroids can get your voice moving again, it’s not an absolute fix.

Whether you have a mild runny nose or a full-blown upper respiratory reaction, you have to know how to maintain your voice when allergies hit. If you’re not expecting your immune system to react violently, it’s always good to have a backup plan. I hope this could help. Good luck!

Cantare!

Covid-19

 Benvenuto, everyone!

Anyone who may read this blog regularly knows that I make a few posts a week and that I went on a small hiatus recently. I’m sure many of you are aware of some of the word recent events, and the effects of covid-19 have touched all of us.

During my spring break from school, I did not post. This blog is part of an assignment, and I was not required to post. Over that break, my university switched to 100% online classes because of the threat covid-19 posed.

My lecture classes have completely rerouted their assignment structure, classes have become complicated and confusing, and my ensemble classes cannot meet at all because ensemble work is nearly impossible online without post-editing. I struggle with change. The next week was difficult for me, and I’m still having difficulty in my academic life. 

After missing almost an entire week worth of assignments, I’m trying to get back on track and battle my anxiety about how exactly I will pull through this semester of school. It’s a tough fight, but hopefully I am on the road to victory. 

I realize, too, that I am not the only one. The whole word is in this together. Everyone is dealing with massive change, anxiety for the future, and adapting to a new lifestyle. While I struggle with my own menial problems, my heart goes out to those who have lost their jobs, families who have lost loved ones, and everyone who has suffered or wavered in the quake of these trying times.

I hope all my readers find themselves healthy and safe in the coming months and know that we can persevere. Humans seem to have a knack for surviving, and we will do just that and more. We make music through every tragedy and every terror and torment, and we won’t stop now.

Make sure to use safe practices; wash your hands, social distance, sanitize the things you touch regularly, and isolate yourself from others as much as you can.

I know that I’ve gotten a little off the topic of my blog, but I will circle around and continue posting my positivity as well as content this blog was made to produce. Stay safe out there, everyone. Remember to never let your music fade, no matter the hardship.

Keep your hands clean and cantare.

Every Voice Matters

Benvenuto, everyone!

I find it important to emphasize that not all transgender people are affected by voice dysphoria. I sat down with a Nola Aycock (they/them) for an evening to discuss the importance of voice training from yet another perspective.

When it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, there is very little that is more important than diversity and expression. While I do try to keep things varied on this blog, I have noticed that the interview is my favorite format.

Yes, I post a lot of interviews, but at least I can say that I include a variety of opinions. Some answers are expected, but some people do surprise me. One of those people is Nola. 

I have known Nola for a while, now, perhaps a little over a year or so, but they always have something interesting to say or something new to impart. For this reason, I have wanted to interview them for a good while. I’m glad I was able to meet with them.

Though the interview was rather short due to the time constraints for my video assignment, I think the interview went quite well, and I managed to gain a bit of wisdom and insight on my journey to understanding the trans voice.

Perhaps you can glean something, yourself.

Cantare!