Winter is a potentially hazardous time for the singer. The holidays are past, all the Messiahs have been sung (Alleluia! Alleluia!), and the modest bulge in your pre-Christmas bank account has been transferred to your waistline. The cold weather outside, alternating with the dry heat inside, the prevalence of upper respiratory infections—all can affect your voice. This column will address some ways in which you can safely survive until la primavera returns.
Does cold weather cause colds? The disagreement between scientific opinion and common experience continues. Cold temperatures do not in themselves result in infection with the rhinovirus (the commonest cause of the common cold)—the link is the state of your body’s immune reserves. Stress to the body, whether physical or psychological, weakens your system. Add the virus, and you are more likely to develop an upper respiratory infection.
Remember what your mother used to say? “Wear a hat!” Keeping warm is a self-evident precaution. More specifically, it is important to keep the likely sites of viral invasion covered: your nose, mouth, and throat. Viruses (like bacteria) have an optimum temperature for growth. If your upper airway is protected from the cold, it is less likely to be infected. Further, by keeping these mucus membranes warm, your local circulation is more effective, and can deal more effectively with potential invaders. Keeping your face and neck wrapped keeps these portals of entry warm and protected.
The cold outdoors is only half the story, however. The warm indoors is equally stressful to the body. An overheated, and usually dry, apartment is equally hazardous to vocal health.
City dwellers (at least in New York) often live in an old apartment building where they cannot control the heat. The higher the floor, the worse the heat, hence the drier the air. Your only options may be to turn the heat off or on, and at times not even that. During sleep, your larynx is confronted with eight hours of no water intake combined with the inhalation of dry hot air through parched nasal and oral mucous membranes.
I would therefore strongly suggest that you keep the heat in your bedroom low or off. If this is not possible, keep a window partially open. It is better to sleep with a sweater on, than to dehydrate your upper airway. Humidifiers are useful—the cool air misters are better, since the moisture is less likely to rise to the ceiling.
Both winter cold and heated buildings dry the air. Every winter breath visibly carries humidity out of your body. Therefore, increase your intake of water to 8-10 glasses per day. The water needn’t be cold. Drinking hot water, either as such or in the form of herbal tea, both heats and humidifies.
Remember also that allergens, bacteria and other unpleasant entities fly around much more readily in dry air, and will travel farther up your nose if your mucous membranes are also dry. Frequent use of a saline spray bottle can be useful. There are also saline nasal gel preparations, which both moisturize and coat the mucous membranes.
Short days and long dark evenings and nights may be another hazard for singers disposed to seasonal depression. If you have seasonal affective disorder, try to spend time outdoors on sunny days, and stay physically active. Depression can weaken your immune system. It might be a good time to cadge an invitation from a friend who lives in Florida. Spending evenings in a well-lit health club is a reasonable compromise.
Winter typically includes closer physical contact with our fellow vectors of disease, on public transit, or in closed indoor spaces. To reduce the transmission of infection, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face and consciously try to maintain your “personal space” at social gatherings.
Another area of interest is your winter diet. In Chinese medicine, a great emphasis is placed on foods that are warming, foods that increase circulation and ward off invasion by “external cold.” Ginger, taken either in food or in capsules, is especially useful. Avoid iced foods and drinks. Excess sweets are thought to promote the accumulation of dampness in the body, and should also be limited.
Finally, take care of your singing voice. Be prepared to take longer to warm up. Your voice, like an auto engine in winter, may need more time to kick in. And if you feel some resistance at the top of your voice, a tickle or a rattle, consider the possibility of dry vocal folds. Don’t push, rather steam and hydrate. With these commonsense measures, you will complete your Winterreise with minimal downtime.
