As your favorite musician animatedly jumps to the podium, you may never assume that they often experience terrible performance anxiety. All in all, there is nothing unusual about minimal performance anxiety.
However, if it causes depression, severe stage fright, or incomprehension, it can be a major source of alarm. Bear in mind that physical tension plays a major role in escalating anxiety. Thus, if it affects your performance or puts your life at risk, experiment with the effective tactics below.
Adapt Suitable Breathing Techniques
Proper inhalation efficiently transfers oxygen to the muscles, brain, and heart. As oxygen circulates well through the body, it reduces muscle pain, stress, and tension. Altogether, tension causes inadequate inhalation as artists hold their breath during a performance.
A quick remedy to this is to first take note of your normal breathing. That way, it becomes easier to detect when you alter the breathing tempo. During performances, breathe steadily so that your body can relax and give optimal performance.
Regular Hand and Wrist Exercises
Whether practicing on your drums or piano, you need to repeatedly use your fingers and wrists. This may cause numbness, tingling, or stiffness especially if you perform for long durations. Once in a while, stretch out your fingers and rotate the wrists to reduce tension.
In addition, you can curl your hands into a fist several times or rotate your wrist. Finally, place your hand together in a praying pose and stretch the forearms. You can also push them together until you experience a stretching sensation.
Cannabis Therapy
Music and cannabis are a combination that people rarely think about. Thanks to CBD’s influence on dopamine hormone increase in the body, musicians feel more relaxed after regular use. Although there is no documented evidence, regular CBD users report enhanced creativity and calming effects. Most impressive is that musicians can use CBD to stabilize other conditions like insomnia, pain, and joint stiffness.
There are a couple of medical marijuana recommendations in Texas that you should take into consideration. For instance, contact a vetted marijuana specialist to confirm if you need to take CBD products for your anxiety. Upon approval, they can issue you with a medical marijuana card that guarantees safe purchase of CBD products through a stress-free process.
Use Light Weight Instruments
Often, artists stay in one position performing for hours. If they happen to carry a heavy instrument like a guitar, it may cause neck, back, wrist, and shoulder injuries. The first thing you need to confirm is the shape of the instrument in comparison with your stature. Ensure you hire or buy the correct size of the instrument according to your body size.
To make the experience more comfortable you can use straps, seat cushions, or lighter strings. Consult with your music trainer about the best size and duration to play during a performance. If you manage to eliminate tension, you can enjoy honing your skills.
Practice More Often
Regular practice on vocals or instruments helps in minimizing anxiety. Not only does the repetitive process help musicians polish their skills, but also puts them at ease before the audience. With new music trends coming up, artists need to get accustomed to the latest hits. In the process, it makes them pro in the game while reducing stress levels.
Final Word
Despite the flashy lifestyle that musicians lead, it is not always a walk in the park. Remind that behind it all, there are strict deadlines to meet and hectic practice sessions to attend.
For a less strenuous music journey, start a recovering process using the techniques mentioned. Above all, music should cause relaxation and not pain.