Singing While Sick: 5 Essential Recovery Tips for Opera Singers 🤒

After many years of navigating flu season to avoid losing money on expensive recording sessions, important gigs, and auditions (not to mention the frustration of losing technical momentum), I finally created a guide on how to dodge flu season altogether. 👍🏻

However, I’ve realized there’s something called the "getting-out-of-the-bunker-too-early" syndrome, and I’m afraid I made that mistake this month.

Feeling super smug after seemingly dodging the curse of any serious singer, I was a bit too quick, a bit too confident—and as a result, I’ve now lost my voice and had to cancel a performance. 🙄

It has been a stark reminder of how important it is to stay consistent with the routines I share in my PDF during flu season.

So, what do you do if you’re an opera singer and you lose your voice?

Today, I’m happy to share my 5 Essential Recovery Tips for Opera Singers to ensure a speedy recovery. Because let’s face it: as high-intensity singers, our only aim when we’re sick is to recover as quickly as possible. Without further ado, here are my 5 secrets and what I’ve been doing lately to protect my voice.

1. Don’t Make It Worse! 😱🚨

Some may have a negative recall experience when they hear the following words: quarantine, social distancing, and "stop the spread." Well, I’ve been trying hard to keep my nasty germs to myself lately and ensure I don’t catch anything else now that my immune system is already compromised. 💡

As an opera singer, you’ll know how incredibly annoying it is during the Christmas season when you try to go to the supermarket or run errands, and the world seems like a choir of sneezers—coughing into the air with an extraordinary radius of reach and zero concern for anyone else... (no offense, but it’s true).

Since I wasn’t sure if I would get really sick or not, I went out to do some Christmas shopping, BUT I covered my nose and mouth with two scarves, wore sunglasses, and tried to keep as far away from people as possible.

Not kidding. While I was doing everything I could to keep my germs to myself, I walked past (and heard) one person after another sneezing into the air as if spreading germs were the annual national competition every Christmas season (worldwide).

Once I got home, I self-isolated in my part of the house because germs spread very quickly within a household if someone gets sick and doesn’t stay put.

So, I’ve been enjoying my own company for the last few days, and it seems like I was indeed able to "stop the spread" on my end. 👍🏻

2. Control the illness. 🚨

It’s really important to stick to the routines I share in my PDF, even if you’ve lost your voice or are feeling sick. The worst thing you can do is admit defeat and let everything go. Carelessness will extend your recovery time. That’s the challenge.

One major habit to avoid: coughing. Yes, it can quickly become habitual. 💡

When I got the flu in 2019, it escalated into pneumonia that lingered forever until I got antibiotics. After treatment, I developed hay fever for the first (and thankfully only) time in my life. My blocked nose compromised the recording of my album Berit, Vol. 2, meaning all my vocals had to be re-recorded in 2020. A habitual dry cough also led to an overproduction of phlegm, which was a nightmare for my voice.

Here’s what you need to do: Clean your nasal cavities regularly to prevent the illness from spreading deeper into your respiratory system. Keeping the cold or flu confined to the upper respiratory tract is crucial. If it travels down to your throat, lungs, or beyond, your recovery will take much longer—and as a singer, that’s the last thing you want.

Breathing exercises are also key. If you can manage to do them while bedridden, you’ll maintain strength and control over your voice, speeding up recovery. This is critical for opera singers who need to return to training as soon as possible. 💡

3. Don't get stiff, sore, or misaligned... 

The last thing I want to do when I’m sick is my "Guitar Fitness Routine." But staying in bed for too long can lead to tension, especially in the neck—something opera singers must avoid at all costs.

While stretching with body aches isn’t fun, it helps reduce extra tension and prevents stiffness. I’ve been focusing on my upper body muscles to combat the negative consequences of lying down too long.

4. Command your brain.🧠  

Even when you feel terrible, it’s crucial to maintain basic wellness routines like showering, brushing your hair, and changing your clothes. These simple acts boost morale and prevent you from slipping into negative programming. 💡

If you’ve experienced prolonged illness in the past, your body may have a behavioral "program" for being sick. Avoid triggering it. Remind your brain that you’re just "a little under the weather," not bedridden for months.

5. Stay sharp... 🥰

Even though I haven’t been singing, exercising properly, or playing my instruments, I’ve still been working. When you have an online business, you can work from anywhere—even your bed. 💡

If you’re struggling to sleep, watch a course or do some light work online. Just remember to take breaks, as focus can be difficult when you’re unwell.

If your current income relies 100% on live performances and cancellations are devastating, I recommend building multiple income streams. If you’re interested, grab my Masterclass while it’s still available! 😊

Did you enjoy my tips? Then make sure that you sign up to get my upcoming blog posts straight to your email. 😊⬇️ 
PS. Snag my PDF "5 Secrets To Avoid The Flu & Colds, (Or Manage Them) As A Singer!"