Most of us have chosen the performing arts field because we absolutely love it. It’s our passion and we could do it endlessly, round-the-clock.
But no one is invincible, no matter how strong the desire is. Consistent long rehearsals, late nights as well as possibly juggling both daytime and night time jobs can take its toll. This industry doesn’t have much wiggle room for sickness and counts on you to be there. More often than not will you be irreplaceable and therefore you, as an actor need to keep healthy and take care of yourself to have a lasting career in the field.
Speaking from my own experience, I believe many can agree, when being busy and opening night is creeping closer or after weeks of long shoots (especially those outdoor night shoots where you have to be buried alive over and over and end up with mosquito bites everywhere because your costume is a short summer dress, but you go through with it because you know the end result will look amazing), it’s easy to fall into certain routines that have a negative impact on our health. We sleep less, eat processed foods, don’t exercise and begin to let stress in and to relieve that stress look more for quick fixes like nicotine, caffeine, sugar and alcohol.
You are your own tool of the trade, you are your own instrument and therefore it is your responsibility to prioritise your own wellbeing, both physical and mental to maintain that tool.
Here at APStudio we strive to introduce this mindset early in our student’s careers. Tutor Bronwen Coleman teaches Actor Wellbeing at our Full Time Program. She has great advice when it comes to maintaining health mentally and physically as an actor. I have taken some of her best advice and made a list of 5 things to consider when working as a performer.
1. Maintain a healthy diet:
Eat at regular times, 3 meals a day with snacks in between such as fruit and nuts. Take time to eat, even when you’re busy. Try not to eat and do other things at the same time and listen to when your body is full to avoid over or under-eating. Eating healthy takes preparation. Bring a healthy lunch box, rather than going to a fast food chain. It will keep you better energised for a longer period of time. Hydrate yourself by drinking plenty of water – keep your water bottle close by.
2. Recharge your batteries:
Make sure you get enough sleep and try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. Practise good habits before you go to bed; put away your phone, take time to wash your face, brush your teeth and do nothing for at least 20 minutes. This gives your mind and body time to unwind and prepare for sleep. You can also increase you sleep quality by following other points on this list such as exercising and staying away from caffeine. What you do during the day has massive effect on your sleep.
3. Exercise regularly.
When you’re busy, exercise is usually one of the first things to go, but it releases endorphins, can help relieve stress and make you sleep better. Whether it’s just walking the dog or doing a full body workout, the key is to keep it regularly and to maintain an active lifestyle. 30 minutes per day is ideal or at least 3 times per week. Yoga is great for actors as it ticks off points 2, 3, and 5 as well as keeping you limber for whatever your role requires. See here for some helpful yoga tips for actors.
4. Stay away from substances as much as possible such as coffee, alcohol, energy drinks and tobacco.
They are nothing but short term quick fixes and it’s one of the worst traps to fall into because they are so Once you have started to incorporate addictive substances into your life, your body will crave them and it can be hard to stop. Sugary drinks and coffee might seem harmless, but they both contain caffeine which can cause insomnia, irritability and anxiety.
Relaxing at a bar with a drink after a show or late rehearsals with your team is common and lots of fun. You’ve got your adrenaline going after a good rehearsal or a show (or perhaps even more after a bad one), but you should also know when to say no and go home and sleep. If you do decide to go out, you can still do so without drinking and know when to leave. The last thing you’d want is to show up at the theatre or set hungover. It’s disrespectful, unprofessional and could even cost you your job. Also, alcohol is a depressant. As a 2015 MEAA study discovered that depression amongst actors is twice as high as in the general population, you should have your wits about you when establishing habits.
MEAA study https://www.meaa.org/news/the-australian-actors-wellbeing-study/
5. Get your mind off it.
Find something fun, completely unrelated to your work as a performer, to do once a week. Even though you love acting, it’s important to get your mind off it once in a while. It could be anything; Painting, baking, sports, seeing friends and family or why not learn something new? It gives your brain a break by focusing on something different.
You might find some, or most of these tips to be obvious and easy enough to maintain on a day-to-day basis, but it’s when you’re at your most busiest they’re of most importance. As with all new habits, they can be hard to learn and maintain at the start, so really set the goal for yourself to incorporate this advice (and other healthy habits) to your life and your body and mind will thank you later on.
Being healthy is a great feeling. Not only will it help you in your career, but it will do you good in all aspects of your life.
