The post Now is the time for change – Not business as usual! appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>By now the current state of affairs has become profusely clear…
The music touring industry has come to a grinding halt with tons of speculation abounding. Panels and Zoom groups popping up, all wondering the same thing…when will it return?
In light of all this speculation, how has the touring industry addressed its own sustainability and vulnerability issues while looking towards this uncertain future? Where is the necessary industry leadership we need going to come from? How is the industry planning on managing expectations with the current and future needs of crew personnel in these unprecedented times? How do we learn from this and how do we grow as an industry to address the issues and lessen any collateral suffering? How do we build more resilience for the future of everyone in this industry? Will it just be lamenting conversations of getting back to ’ business as usual’ or will it be seen as an opportunity for change by those willing to lead us into a brighter future?
The numerous consequences and oversites that have been brought to light over the past couple of years are on full display now:
- The lack of support systems in times of need.
- The lack of comprehensive interventions and direct resources readily available.
- The underwhelming access to benefits and insurance for crew who are employees.
- The roller coaster employment situation for those who are on and off the payroll of the Artists/Bands throughout the long tour cycles.
- The slow dismantling of retainers and per diem rates, now seen as a luxury and not as a standard across the industry.
- The absurd amounts of money thrown around at ‘upping’ production levels at the expense of the crew’s quality of life.
- The unrealistic setup and teardown timelines of some tours with restricted crew sizes that are barely adequate to move those productions- Causing up to 24 hour workdays for some and commonly injuries as a result.
- Core crew on the road without a Human Resource person’s insight or remote availability.
- Workplace law compliance oversight for touring crew.
- Indifferent Payroll companies as crew members “employer-of-record”.
- Poor dissemination of employment information and policies required by all applicable federal, state, and local laws. i.e. Notice of Coverage Options, workplace policy information; Meal and break periods in accordance with federal, state and local laws, Safety and health policies, Employee conduct (such as workplace violence), Business expenses policy and reimbursement.
- Information about eligibility to unemployment insurance in between and at the end of a tour run for those on payroll.
- The low standard of quality nutrition provided on a daily basis, often due to budget cuts.
- The extreme mental and physical health issues accompanied by addiction and substance abuse struggles often correlated with touring.
- Hourly vs. Salary requirements. The FLSA‘s (Fair Labor and Standards Act) minimum salary exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 annually). “One-off’/‘day rates” can not amount to less than the weekly minimum. (flat sum) vs. overtime.
- Misclassification of workers Denies workers of their rights and protections. – Form 1099 being issued does not prove the worker is an Independent Contractor. Crew must satisfy applicable federal and state tests to be classified as such.
Now is the time to organize and prioritize the crew’s quality of life on the road.
To make a plan, create resources and develop systems. To build an infrastructure with easy access to those resources. Made readily available and standard for any touring organization. Now is the time to think about how to adapt a more comprehensive approach on how tours are managed and operated.
We should be taking this moment to look at how the industry often conducts itself, unregulated and unencumbered by the standards and practices implemented by most major industries who have employees. We should not accept that this is just a byproduct of touring. We should look at this from a collective perspective rather than every man/woman for themselves. Personal responsibility is not the only answer here, there is a much bigger picture. Leadership holds a responsibility to the financial, mental and physical health of their crews. Undaunted crews who without question make tours happen at almost any cost, often ignoring their mental and physical wellbeing. What is the actual cost of such a mindset?
These are not difficult questions to address.
For most Non-Touring employees on a W2 payroll this is typically standard. In fact, most organizations with employees must address these issues. Not only for the individuals in their employment but for the health of the organization as a whole. Now is the time to organize, standardize and prioritize the crew’s health and wellness across the board.
When the touring industry rolls back out, as it will, are we all just going to go back to business as usual? Will we address and collectively recognize the incredible lack of sustainability and vulnerability that seems to have been allowed to prevail and go practically unaddressed for decades? We can all work together to find answers to the questions we have ALL been asking. What we need now is not just words, but solutions. Solutions that are followed by Strong actions and Conscientious changes.
This moment in time should be transformative! We should start to focus less on putting bandaids on the current problems and more on finding solutions to the larger issues that have led us to the need of said bandaids. Solutions that bring out the best of our crews and create a more human centric and empathic industry. People being put first.
If you believe in making statements like -“live shows are not possible without the incredibly hard working crew members…” then don’t just provide a bandaid in the moment to get us by. Create and implement the solutions needed for us to thrive.
It comes down to good leadership, not just in tough times but all times. Don’t waste this time, don’t waste this opportunity to make a better music touring industry and lead us into the future!
-TTL
The crew are the backbone of the touring industry, the ones who always get the job done.
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]]>The post Addiction: The elephant in the road; a lonely battle for connection in a disconnected world. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>When we think of addiction, often we picture the stereotypical scenarios depicted on television, movies, and books: a broken down zombie-like person existing only for their next fix, or perhaps the brilliant but tortured artist/rock star/writer who manages to create a masterpiece, despite their personal life being in shambles.
A more accurate and informed picture of addiction is that it affects most of us, either directly through our own personal struggles or via the struggle of colleagues, friends and/or family. Approximately 1 out of 10 Americans have an addiction to either drugs or alcohol.
“According to an article printed in the New York Times, the average American knows around 600 people. This means every person in America knows 60 people who have a drug or alcohol disorder.
That same article estimates that most Americans know between 10 and 25 people well enough to be counted as trusted “real friends”. This means in your personal circle of friends – people you know, trust, and maybe even love – “you might be close to as many as three people who are addicted to illegal drugs, alcohol, or prescription medications.” – Northpointrecovery.com
So, it’s time to discuss the “elephant in the room” or “in the road” as it is relevant to those of us who tour.
Addiction
noun ad· dic· tion | \ ə-ˈdik-shən , a-\
1: the quality or state of being addicted //addiction to reading.
2: compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (such as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.
broadly: persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful.
There is a lot of debate on what exactly causes or drives addiction. Some professionals term it a chronic disease to explain the often unfathomable nature of addictive self-destructive behavior – a total loss of control in the grip of great temptation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction (NIDA), defines addiction in this way:
“Addiction is defined as a chronic relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain – they change it’s structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs.”
Before we go any further let us be clear on a few things…
Using illicit substances does not automatically make one an addict. Many of us function in society but may be concerned about our current use of substances and how it affects our well-being, mentally and physically. Parts of your life can be in working order and at the same time, OTHER PARTS are falling apart. Sometimes this may not have any outward signs, it may be a darker battle that only you are aware of.
This is not an attempt to underplay the complicated nature of addiction in society. Nor to completely exonerate the physical and/or genetic factors that can play a role in addiction. Instead, hopefully, create an opportunity for a new meaningful discussion on what may be a larger “determining factor” with touring people and high rates of addiction.
“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”
-Oscar Wilde
We have all heard, or said jokingly (or perhaps not so jokingly), “I got into touring for the free booze!” or the classic “for sex, drugs and rock n’ roll!”- And all of us like to have a good time in one way or another, maybe even in all ways! The adventure of the road and the social camaraderie of your fellow touring crew can, at times, mimic the conditions of a frat house or college dorm. This can be loads of fun and we by no means want to be party poopers, unwinding after a long and most likely stressful day is important… but as we all know and may have experienced personally, when the party doesn’t end for us it can create some devastating problems in our personal and professional lives.
That being said, we can be addicted to just about anything. Behavioral and process addictions (ones that do not involve drugs) like online gambling, social media, pornography, video games, wealth, consumerism, religious fanaticism, overeating, shopping, hoarding, dieting, social media, narcissistic self-promotion, pets, and anorexia are some examples. The idea that addiction is only related to substances that create a chemical dependence (or “hooks”) is, to say the least, disingenuous. The only difference among these would be the level of destruction they may cause to your quality of life and ability to function in society.
There have been many experiments and theories that have shaped our collective consciousness about addiction and substance abuse. A few decades ago it was thought that one would be instantly hooked upon taking heroin, crack or cocaine and this was reinforced in the ’80s by the use of the “rat experiments” explored by the author Johann Hari – in his book “Chasing the Scream”.
“This theory was first established, in part, through rat experiments—ones that were injected into the American psyche in the 1980s, in a famous advertisement by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. You may remember it. The experiment is simple. Put a rat in a cage, alone, with two water bottles. One is just water. The other is water laced with heroin or cocaine. Almost every time you run this experiment, the rat will become obsessed with the drugged water, and keep coming back for more and more, until it kills itself.” – Johann Hari
These “rat experiments” Hari discovered had been challenged by a professor of psychology, Bruce Alexander, who saw one inherent flaw in the experiment – The rats were alone in isolation with nothing to do and no social interactions. He recreated the experiment in an environment he called “rat park” where every need of companionship, food, and activity was available alongside the drugged water. The rats mostly shunned the drugged water and none of them died!
This, as Hari points out, was echoed by one of the largest human experiments in history- the Vietnam war.
“It was reported in Time magazine that “using heroin was as common as chewing gum” among U.S. soldiers, and there is solid evidence to back this up. Some 20 percent of U.S. soldiers had become addicted to heroin there according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Many people were understandably terrified; they believed a huge number of addicts were about to head home when the war ended.” But in fact, some 95 percent of the addicted soldiers—according to the same study—simply stopped. Very few had rehab. They shifted from a terrifying cage back to a pleasant one, so didn’t want the drug anymore.”
At present, much of the general public believes that addiction either entails a loss of control over one’s actions and thus a loss of agency/free will or is simply a moral failing. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research says “A report on the findings, which appears in the October issue of the journal Psychiatric Services, suggests that society seems not to know whether to regard substance abuse as a treatable medical condition akin to diabetes or heart disease, or as a personal failing to be overcome.” Among researchers, opinion is more widely divided as to whether addicts lose some control, lose all control, or retain control.
We are hoping to help inform a different story. A story not about moral, genetic or medical deficiencies, but one that relates directly to the people that tour and their situations specifically. One that takes a broader perspective on the problems of the addicted person. This, we believe is essential to understanding the high rates of addiction among touring people.
At first, the initial allure and the seemingly endless adventurous qualities of touring can cause an immediate surplus of experiences and fulfillment in one’s professional life. Over time the reality and demanding nature of touring can quickly create significant deficits in many other aspects of one’s personal life. Being on the road, often in close quarters to your fellow crew, we can still experience a feeling of profound loneliness. Perhaps this has to do with what we leave behind: the comfort of our familiar surroundings, the place we call home, close friends and family. We may take on our new environments with a subliminal level of unease. One that at first may be unbeknownst to us.
We Seek To Be Whole
We all have physical needs like food, water, shelter, and sleep but we also have psychological needs according to Abraham Maslow’s 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Maslow used the terms “physiological”, “safety”, “belonging and love”, “social needs or esteem”, and “self-actualization” to describe the pattern through which human motivations generally move. In other words, a hierarchy of needs. Once a person has met his primitive or basic needs, the focus of their anxiety eventually shifts to the ego.
Maslow’s theories reveal a great need to be socially connected in order to feel whole. We consistently seek our natural unmet needs. When unfulfilled, this ‘ hierarchy of needs’ can leaded to anxiety, distress, and disconnection causing some to look to substances for uncomplicated relief.
As a species, we evolved in tribes to increase our chances of survival. Despite our highly adaptable nature to new environments and situations, we thrive in a social network. We would understandably become anxious if ever we were cut off from the protective nature of the tribe.
In a touring lifestyle, we are continuously separating ourselves from one family (tribe) to join another tribe and then yet another tribe… we are constantly acclimatizing to our new environments and our “other tribe”. In fact, you likely go through this cycle several times a month, year after year. This cycle can create persistent low-level feelings of anxiety which have been shown to lead to a higher potential for depression and addictive behavior. It is now well-known that extensive business travel is associated with poorer behavioral and mental health like smoking, sedentary behavior, trouble sleeping, alcohol dependence, depression, and anxiety.
Addictions can take on a dangerous habit of creating a false but stable connection for many who tour. Filling a desperate need for what’s missing with a substitute. We may develop a part of us that does not want to be entirely present for all aspects of our lives. For some who tour there may be feelings of guilt, stemming from things like not always being present for those we love and left at home. Conversely, some may feel more fulfillment on the road. Being home may create a feeling of disconnection from purpose, meaning and regular contact with their”tribe” of people.
For some, perhaps over time, touring alone may no longer be fulfilling the need for a meaningful and purposeful work life. It would be safe to presume that most touring people pride themselves on being dedicated to the success of the tour that they are on. Perhaps at times to their own detriment. In service to such a revered idea or person(s), they may forego their own individual needs with “misplaced” dedication or devotion. In almost all cases and situations touring people often have feelings of disconnection.
It’s not you, it’s your cage.
The idea that the circumstances of our present situation affect our behavior is referred to by Bruce Alexander as your “cage” in his “rat park experiments”. Whether you are more or less likely to be consumed by addiction may be in direct correlation to your current circumstance. The soldiers in Vietnam who used substances to cope with their environment left the habit behind once they returned to a better situation. We are wired to avoid pain and discomfort when they become a large part of our current situation we are more likely to seek relief. Perhaps something to numb us. Often times we end up medicating our sadness and/or pain without truly understanding it.
The “rat park” and “Vietnam study” concluded that we need to live connected lives to truly thrive. No amount of thrills, adventures, substances or material wealth can replace deep human connection it seems. Healthy relationships and bonds along with meaning and purpose make life bearable according to all the science. They make us want to be present in our lives.
The Side Effects of Fragmentation and Dislocation
The inherent side effects of touring need to be further analyzed with a closer focus on the individuals’ experiences. In the studies mentioned we see what a life of “scattered communities” and “dislocation” can do. They can expose us to a higher risk of feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression and substance abuse. For some addiction can enhance identity and self-esteem by symbolically linking their misery with the fantasy of a more interesting life. The fragmentation of our reality in this way is ultimately unsustainable. Supported more definitively by the numerous famous people who’s lives have been cut short by such a lifestyle.
“…Moreover, when people’s addictions last too long or become too overwhelming, their adaptive functions go awry. Health consequences of severe addictions further burden and fragment the addicted persons’ families, communities, and societies. In all these ways, addiction perpetuates social fragmentation, and the cycle roles on through the generations.
Addiction is not only a downstream response to societal fragmentation but also ultimately an upstream cause of it. With each new turn of the cycle the flood of addiction rises to new heights and the costs to society increase.” -Bruce Alexander
Prolonged, radical dislocation extracts a high price because it ultimately generates misery in the form of anxiety, depression, disorientation, hopelessness, and resentful behavior. Such a lifestyle creates a failure to satisfy the innate social needs of all involved. This echos the increasingly fragmented world we exist in. One could argue that addiction is built into the touring culture and structure itself historically.
The road to recovery[resilience]: A plan for tour life.
→Self-care is important to a sustained better quality of life.
→Practice mindfulness – Learn ways to be in the present moment like meditation, yoga, exercise.
→Notice signs – Like prolonged irritability, fatigue, short temper, constant high-risk behaviors, withdrawing from socialization.
→Seek help – From doctors, psychologists, specialized councilors, groups, friends, relatives or mentors.
→Explore why you may be vulnerable to a particular addiction.
→Understanding the pitfalls of the nature of touring can help with avoiding them.
→Learn to create better habits
→Participate in exercise programs- find classes in town or online for your days off, Use the hotel gyms, pools and spas.
→Create routines – that can be maintained at home as well as on the road, make them adaptable.
→Practice better eating and sleep techniques.
→Seek to develop skills and routines for your well-being and continued successes in the industry.
→Look out for each other, Don’t be ignorant to the potential of quiet suffering of those around you on tour.
→Be an advocate for change – Strive to change the overall culture of what is acceptable in a professional atmosphere.
→Learn to be compassionate – Be a better listener if you want to help others.
→Be a part of building communities in the industry and in the cities you live in to help combat dislocation and isolation for touring people.
A Call to Action and Responsibility: A better response to a crisis.
Study after study shows that for an organization to thrive you need to put people first. Full consideration should be given to the quality of life for those on the road. It should be the top priority in any touring budget. Not the first thing cut, as is often the case. More lights, gear, video or production elements should not be prioritized over basic fundamental human needs.
When a tour claims it “can’t afford” all reasonable needs of the crew. That tour can’t afford its crew!
In a ‘high risk’ industry where even the artists are vulnerable to the “cage” of “dislocation,” ZERO accountability is blatantly irresponsible. There should be an intensive responsibility on tour to help people manage stress, maintain their health, and have access to capable, informed human resources. This is vital not just for the artists but for their CREWS as well. It is the crew who usually can’t afford to take a much-needed break. It is the crew who typically are not provided health insurance. It is the crew who often lack the support and resources that can lead them to the therapy or treatment they may desperately need.
To indeed have a thriving touring industry, there needs to be a focus on the quality of life, robust connections, and human resources. These solutions should become standard for being on the road.
“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection.”
– Johann Hari
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]]>The post The Value of Specialization appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>My job was ostensibly to focus on the front of house mix, but I was also responsible for much more, including helping with monitors, setting up backline, and pitching in to get the van packed. This gig did not pay well by any means but it was really fun and I totally fell in love with the pace of the work, the travel, and being involved in live music. I’m sure those bands raised their crew rates as their budgets grew and like many touring personnel have done- I worked my way up to bigger and bigger tours and was able to raise my rate along the way.
My job also became more specialized- mixing FOH audio for pop/alternative/rock bands like Haim, St. Vincent, Passion Pit, etc. At a certain point, even the genre of music became pretty specific: I was once turned down for a mellow artist because I “only mix rock bands” and “they don’t want their show to be too loud”. Which is pretty silly, but it’s all about perception when working with artists and their managers.
As I’ve been developing online education for live music production (www.theproductionacademy.com), one of the questions I get all the time is:
“How do I make more money/get more work as a sound engineer?”
one easy answer is: SPECIALIZE.
There are tons of specialized jobs in touring production, and many readers of this blog are talented tour managers, production managers, lighting designers/directors and so on. But as an audio engineer, I can speak to the opportunity that specialized audio work can bring – not only on tour but in high-level production work worldwide.
So, for this post I just want to lay out a few obvious options for audio specialization. These certainly aren’t the only options out there but they’re definitely applicable to modern production:
IEM mixer
System Technician
RF Technician/Coordinator
IEM Mixer←
Mixing monitors used to consist of managing wedges and side fills and making sure all the microphones are loud enough for the performers without feeding back- And there are still many performers who rely solely on these methods for their shows! But most modern pro-level tours use in-ear-monitors (IEMs) as the primary method for monitoring on stage.
If you’re an audio engineer looking to break into the touring industry, specializing as an IEM mixer can be a great way to go. Mixing IEMs is much more akin to studio mixing, where compression can be used creatively and EQ adjustments are made to enhance the mix instead of fighting feedback. Combining the high quality of professional molded in-ears with the sonic possibilities of digital consoles can result in some amazing mixes for performers.
Mixing IEMs can also be really difficult! There might be a dozen or more people that need their own mixes and adding things like talkback or ambient mics can further complicate the workflow. The best engineers are able to handle all of this quickly and make sure everyone involved in the production can hear exactly what they need to hear but this isn’t easy! It can take years to develop these unique skills and get comfortable managing the workflow and mixes for multiple performers. When I see the best monitor engineers in action, I’m totally in awe and fully realize that I couldn’t do what they do. That’s why they probably get paid a higher rate than I do!
Of course, some artists are terrible to work with and they burn through monitor engineers super quickly. But others are quite the opposite, and they often develop trusted relationships with monitor engineers that last many years.
If you can establish yourself as a trustworthy IEM mixer who can work with top-tier clients, there are definitely opportunities to develop a successful, sustainable touring career.
System Technician←
Working directly for artists isn’t always the best way to have solid work booked. Many of them work in album cycles, when the touring part is happening you can end up being pretty busy! But when they go into the studio to work on the next record, you’ll be looking for another job. Another option is working directly for an audio/production company. These companies not only provide audio and lighting for tours, they’ll provide gear and labor for other events in their region. So, when the tour is done you’ll hopefully have more work available closer to home, or have another tour with a different artist booked right around the corner.
An obvious skill that puts you in a valuable position for these companies is systems technician. Modern speaker systems are super complex and require specialized training using proprietary software to determine the exact position and angle for each speaker. Whether it’s d&b, Adamson, Meyer, L-Acoustics, or another kind of professional speaker manufacturer, these systems require a lot of training to master.
When an audio company sends a full speaker system out for a show or tour, they’ll send audio technicians to deploy that system and make sure it’s right for each venue. They’ll use the proprietary software to enter the size and shape of the room and figure out exactly where each speaker box should be located. Plus, they’ll use measurement tools like SMAART to check the phase coherency for the entire system once it’s set up.
This isn’t just about running software; there is an art to it as well! Recently, at the famous Redding and Leeds festivals in the UK, I mixed the same band on two consecutive days, once at each festival location. The acoustic environments were the same (outside) and the speaker systems were exactly the same make, model, and size, both coming from the same audio company. They definitely did not sound the same… And the only difference was the system technician who was in charge! It’s no wonder that the better-sounding systems tech was talking about the big worldwide tours he was about to embark on as a critical member of the audio team.
RF Technician/Coordinator←
While specializing as an IEM mixer or system tech can be an effective way to increase your value as an engineer, the most obvious choice to me for specialization is RF (Radio Frequencies, or wireless audio). After all, the people who tend to get paid the most in any industry are the people who can solve very specific problems that exist in that industry at any given moment.
For live music production, this problem is wireless.
Most critically, the available bandwidth we have for wireless audio is shrinking as governments worldwide have been auctioning it off to mobile carriers. As a result the audio world is getting squeezed and we are continually working in a very crowded wireless environment. At the same time, in live music production, we are being asked to use RF more and more. The biggest driver here is the popularity of IEMs for performers on all levels and it totally makes sense! They’re awesome and have improved stage monitoring dramatically, especially when they’re wireless and you can run around the whole stage with a super consistent mix.
…But put five band members up there, each with a wireless stereo mix, and we’re already up to 10 frequencies that need to be clean and solid. Add another 10 to 20 channels for larger productions, throw everyone together into a field for a festival with 30 other bands and things can quickly go wrong.
Luckily, the technology is advancing quickly to keep up and industry leaders, Shure and Sennheiser, are constantly improving their products to adapt to the wireless landscape. Other specialty companies like RFvenue make high-quality wireless products to help get a successful show going. Mastering these tools and being able to reliably secure multiple channels of wireless audio is a hugely valuable skill set. This not only involves using the right tools but understanding and implementing best practices, including antenna position, proper scanning techniques, and managing gain throughout the entire wireless system- Plus, these skills can be used outside of the music world in places like corporate or sporting events (potentially for even higher pay rates).
In addition to RF technicians,
another specialized position on large-scale tours and festivals is RF coordinator. This person will organize the frequencies for each performing act and communicate with the engineers for the performers. Good RF coordinators will plan well, communicate clearly with everyone, monitor the wireless spectrum during the show and quite often make more money than other audio engineering positions.
Learning any of these specialty skills takes training and experience, for sure. On my website, www.theproductionacademy.com, we focus on training for beginner through intermediate levels, and as of early 2019 we don’t have advanced training (yet…). But here are some resources you can check out for more specialized tutorials.
RF Venue: https://www.rfvenue.com/resources
d&b audiotechnik: https://www.dbaudio.com/global/en/education/
L-Acoustics: https://www.l-acoustics.com/en/training/program/
Meyer: https://meyersound.com/training/
–Scott Adamson
The post The Value of Specialization appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>When we first set out to do the articles that have since become ‘this tour life’, we had a rough idea of what they would be……
Our mission was to search out answers to the many questions we had, especially the ones without a strong consensus in the touring community and the things not easily found with a simple internet search. We’d asked ourselves – “Can we easily google this question and find solid fact supported answers?”. If the answer was no, then our research would begin.
In order to make this ‘blog’ more than just about our personal experiences and points of view, we enlisted the help of outside guest writers to gain new perspectives. We hoped to dispense a particular level of insight and experience that sometimes gets overlooked or taken for granted in our business. We then attempted to address a wide array of topics. Looking into the many aspects of touring that we found to be relevant, or again, lacked easily searched answers. Things such as input lists, case building, per diem , de-tuning and more. Eventually, through out all our research, we began to see the many possible health consequences, mental and physical. Consequences, that we believed, we were personally sustaining after years of touring the world.
Through more extensive research and investigation we started to see evidence of what that toll might truly be. The continuous disruptions of normal routines like sleep patterns and meal times alone are enough to cause devastating damage. Beyond the obvious causes we are often in unfamiliar environments, disconnected from friends and family and experiencing strenuous work days and high stress situations. Everyone of these factors causing its own compounding damage. This is the nature of the career that we love and we’ve found it may come with a very heavy price.
…So our journey for finding ways to mitigate the effects of a life on the road began…
Over the next 4 years we exhaustively searched for solutions that would help build a resilience to the challenges of a career on the road. We began testing and researching, and testing and researching some more- We searched for the most accurate information we could find, hoping to be a resource for those in the touring industry.
We are proud to have been a part of bringing the conversation of mental health in our community out of the dark. We have seen more and more attention given to the subject of mental and physical health in relation to touring. Once an unspoken subject now seems to have become a more open, and accepted, topic of conversation. Mental Health has, right fully so, become the subject of panels in industry conferences and events. Now that health and wellness is taking its place as something to be seriously aware of when touring, what exactly are we doing about it? What are the solutions or actionable buffers? How do we help make tour life better, healthier, more sustainable? How do we recover from the negative consequences and build possitives? How do we recharge in-order to endure this tour life?
-Building Resilience –
-“if you have too much time in the performance zone, you need more time in the recovery zone, otherwise you risk burnout. Mustering your resources to “try hard” requires burning energy in order to overcome your currently low arousal level. This is called upregulation. It also exacerbates exhaustion. Thus the more imbalanced we become due to overworking, the more value there is in activities that allow us to return to a state of balance. The value of a recovery period rises in proportion to the amount of work required of us.” Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
What started out as a search for personal solutions has become a mission to bring these solutions to everyone in our extended touring families. Asking ourselves the question -“how do we recover and build resilience?”
We have been working hard on bring information to light that can help touring people with life on the road for quite some time now. We have been diligently working to bring the things we personally use and the things that we have experienced the benefits of to this site. Be it products or information that restore and allows us to maintain a healthy balance. Lowering our risk of burning out. We are excited to finally announce that this year we plan to begin releasing products to the site. Our own brand will be available right here! Products that we believe are the most effective in helping promote a healthy, resilient mind and body. Things that can be used on and off the road for better recovery, stress and anxiety management, improved sleep and more. All created with the extremes of touring in full consideration.
The Power of Community and Giving Our Support.
We believe in community. We believe in the power of information. We believe in the importance of wellness and in the benefits of charity. We believe in trying to make a difference. This is why we pledge to donate a portion of proceeds to MusiCares in hopes to do our continued part in supporting the mental and physical health of our music touring community.
If you would like to know in advance as soon as these products are available, discounts and/or more information regarding further updates and details you can join our mailing list below…
Thank you for your continued support and hopefully you will join us on our new mission for a better tour life! Join Our Crew!
This Tour Life – Be Resilient!.
‘Resilience is the capacity to cope with stress and adversity. It comes from believing in yourself and, at the same time, in something bigger than yourself. Resilience is not a trait that people are born with; it involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone.’
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]]>The post Let’s talk about SLEEP…all the good things and the bad things and what you really need. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>It’s time to radically rethink the importance of sleep because the consequences are catastrophic…
“Exhaustion is a sign of chaos,
not a badge of honor.
Sleep is anything but a waste of time.”
A large percentage of people in modern societies believe that being over worked and lacking sleep is a badge of honor and they wear it with pride. This badge seems to be a signal to others that they are strong, able to push through and get the job done. Sleep equals lazy to them. They are the ones to be counted on to go the extra mile, a valuable asset to any team -or so they think…
This philosophy is especially present in the music touring world. A world that prides itself on having to persevere through extremely long hours with minimum sleep at night, often jet-lagged, with no sick days to be found, all while being constantly on the move. There is this sort of “sleep machismo” in our culture and the irony is that lack of sleep greatly lowers vitality, veracity, testosterone, muscle strength, cognitive abilities, immune system, fertility and overall performance. Just one hour of lost sleep in a night (6hrs) puts a person’s body in such a state equivalent to aging them relative to someone 10 years their senior!
“The elastic band of sleep deprivation will only stretch so far until it snaps.”
-Matthew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, USA., author of Why We Sleep. He is also the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science.
I bet you believe you can beat sleep by functioning on less than what the average person needs and be just fine. Well, I have bad news for you… The research, hundreds of thousands of studies in fact, ALL say you are indisputably wrong on every level. There are almost no exceptions to the rule. You have a better chance of being struck by lighting than being an outlier when it comes to the amount of sleep you need. Your lack of sleep escapades are causing damage that is not only shorting your life span but also lowering the quality of that shortened life span. Sleep is not lazy, that is a modern concept. According to Dr. Walker, and every single study on sleep ever done, all biological functions benefit from sleep. There is not a single organ in the body that is not effected by sleep.
→Sleep restocks the armory of our immune system. Just sleeping less than 6 hours in a night demolishes your immune system.
→Sleep deprivation contributes to all major psychiatric conditions.
→Sleep enriches a diversity of functions including all our brain’s systems. It also regulates our appetites and hormones such as insulin by controlling your blood sugar(or glucose).
Sleep is the preeminent force in our health, in fact sleep is the most glaring omission in the contemporary health conversation. It is a major source of unwanted weight gain and obesity amongst many other issues people struggle with such as chronic pain, depression and illness.
By working extremely long days and nights countering our bodies systems that developed from millions of years of evolution, the Music Touring Industry puts demands on people that are beyond their natural ability to fight off physiological and psychological damage. The levels of performance deterioration from sleep restriction are staggering and no one escapes it unscathed. All studies show individuals are objectively incapable of knowing just how sleep deprived they actually are when asked. Sixty years of research says you can not get by on just 4-5 hours of sleep a night and function without significant performance impairment. You will be in a low-level of alertness and a have a significant reduction in energy levels. This is a catastrophic health crisis, make no mistake! There is no way to be too hyperbolic about the effects of sleep deprivation on your psychological and physiological biology.
Sleep is a biological imperative regardless of what your beliefs are about it. The vital importance of sleep can not be overstated. Hopefully you have some pre-bed (bunk) sleep and post-sleep rituals, systems or gadgets to help get ready and optimize good quality sleep, especially on tour. You need a plan! If you don’t, you 100% should and here’s all the reasons why…
“Sleep is a fundamental
and a non-negotiable human need”
The High Cost of Restricted Sleep.
You can’t short change sleep stages, it is an evolutionary necessity…
Not getting enough sleep can actually kill you. The incidence of death goes up by 15% when we get fewer than 5 hours of sleep a night. Short sleep has been shown to predict or cause mortality, in other words the shorter your sleep – the shorter your life expectancy. Not only that but you can expect a lower quality of life in that shortened span.
Sleep, or lack there of, has a profound effect on your health, well-being, resilience and over all functions. Many will argue that sleep is great, but on tour sleep is rarely given priority or is very difficult to get due to the mere nature of touring. To throw some perspective on that, getting only 4 hours of sleep in just one night results in a 70% reduction in vital immune cells resulting in an immune deficiency in fighting potential cancer cells.
Unhealthy Sleep, Unhealthy Heart.
The effect of sleep deprivation on your cardiovascular system alone is as significant an attack on your heart as any other negtive factor, including smoking. In 2011 a study of half a million men and women across 8 different countries progressively given shorter sleep showed a 45% increased risk of developing and/or dying from cardiovascular disease within 7 to 25 years from the start of the study. In turn as we age the impact of insufficient sleep escalates. Adults 45 years and older who sleep fewer than 6 hours a night are 200% more likely to have a stroke or heart attack in their lifetimes compared to those sleeping 8 hours a night. Just a little sleep loss pumps up the veins in your entire body, stretching and distressing the vessel walls from the increase in blood pressure that comes from sleep deprivation. Hypertension kills more than 7 million people a year.
Just one night of modest sleep reduction, 1 to 2 hours, will speed the contraction rate of a persons heart and significantly increase a persons blood pressure hour per hour even in a young, fit and healthy individual. Physical fitness is no match for a poor nights sleep, It affords no resistance. A study of over 500 healthy mid-life adults, none of whom had any existing heart disease, had tracked the health of their coronary arteries for a number of years while also assessing their sleep. Those sleeping 5-6 hours a night where 300%-700% more likely to suffer calcification of their coronary arteries over the next 5 years as compared to those who sleep 7 to 8 hours a night.
Sleep restriction has a profound effect on your sympathetic nervous system heightening your fight or fight response, releasing the stress hormone cortisol. Sustained sleep restriction of a few weeks or more can leave it stuck in the ON position leading to an overactive sympathetic nervous system, since sufficient sleep is needed in order to calm this response. It can stay ON like this for years in those with excessive work hours limiting sleep and/or its quality. This Hyperarousal of the nervous system becomes chronic when it is supposed to be temporary- Feeling “Tired Yet Wired.”
By now you can see how this significantly relates to touring. That adrenal rush we all talk about at showtime. That is on top of an already jacked up system if you’re not sleeping enough, compounded by jet lag. You bring this home with you as well, even if it is in a slightly lowered state. If you are sleep deprived weeks on end it does not turn around quickly. Being in this state also shuts down the production of growth hormones which repair your body while you sleep. The damage you are doing on a daily basis is simply not being repaired without enough sleep. Not to mention your immune system is devastated- hence why you might get sick just when you get home or more likely at the end of the tour. The flight home and/or contact with different people and environments while being in this state of sleep deprivation puts you at an 70-85% higher risk of catching a cold or virus such as the flu, even with a flu shot, over that of a person who gets 7 hours of sleep or more a night
Stomach problems? Food intolerances?
Being in a constant state fight or flight releases cortisol in the body which cultivates bad bacteria in the gut. Insufficient sleep will prevent meaningful absorption and cause gastrointestinal intestinal problems. Sleep makes your gut happier. Can’t stop yourself from eating the after show pizza or junk on the bus? You worked your ass off at load out, right? And put in a 16-18 hour day? You’ve burned more calories…You need more food!.. Wrong! Sleep deprivation’s effect on your metabolism is systemic. The simplest way to put it is, the less you sleep the more likely you are to eat more and eat worse foods. Sleep deprivation creates an insulin resistance. When your sleep is short Leptin is suppressed which tells you that you are full and Ghrelin is increased signaling you are still hungery despite just finishing a full meal. Studies where conducted and found that only getting 4-5hr of sleep for just 2 days lead to a 30% increase in hunger, no satisfaction from food and loss of appetite control in just one week. “A sleep deprived body will cry famine in the mist of plenty.” Dr. Eve Van Cauter from the University of Chicago. Some may still argue we eat more cause we burn more calories, since we are up later and working longer. At the extreme one will only burn 100 calories more from wakefulness. Sleep is intensely metabolic.
But what about the load out?! Well, to put this into perspective, let’s do the math. We will use an intense exercise like jumping rope or maybe burpees. You will burn an average of 12-15 calories a minute every minute if you can maintain moderate to high intensity performing either exercise mentioned. That means you burn around 120-150 calories in 10 minutes. One slice of Dominos pizza is around 300 calories or just one gummy bear is around 8 calories. You will quickly undo any extra calories burned exercising or “loading out” by eating these foods in one serving or more. In short, not getting enough sleep will increase hunger and appetite, compromise impulse control in the brain, increase food consumption, decrease food satisfaction and prevent effective weight loss by prioritizing fat storage over lean muscle mass. In other words a sleep deprived body will use muscle for fuel to preserve fat.
Sleep deprived people make more mistakes!
Most people are chronically sleep deprived. If you get less than 6 hours of sleep a night, you are sleep deprived. This means that 1 out of every 2 American adults is sleep deprived. The percentage of people who can survive on 6hrs of sleep or less without impairment rounded to a whole percentage is exactly… 0%. Again, objectively you rarely recognize when you are sleep deprived.
Sleep deprivation can manifest as bouts of anger and despair mixed with some euphoria but ultimately leads to a loss of self-awareness. Sound familiar? MAHTC! (Moody As Hell Touring Crew) It doesn’t seem dangerous to ourselves but studies show sleep-deprivation is quite harmful. The U.S. military became interested in sleep-deprivation research to see if soldiers could be trained to function in sustained warfare with very little sleep. The original study seemed to say yes but when put in a lab and observed it showed that performance suffered. The less sleep, the more deficits they suffered- but the soldiers couldn’t tell personally as they would insist they were fine. The ability to do useful mental work declines by 25 percent for every successive 24 hours that an individual is awake.
Objective impairment starts at less than 6hrs of sleep.
The medical Industry has a crisis as well. Doctors on average spend only 2 hours on sleep education in their medical curriculum. When sleep is a 3rd of their patients lives, this is insufficient to say the least. Paradoxically it’s been observed that junior residents working 30hr shifts are 460% more likely to make diagnostic errors in the intensive care unit relative to when they’re working 16 hours. So when you are going to get elective surgery ask your surgeon how much sleep they’ve had in the past 24 hours. If they had 6 hours of sleep or less you have a 170% increase of a major surgical error such as organ damage or hemorrhaging relative to a well rested surgeon. 1 in 5 medical residents will make a serious medical mistake due to sleep deprivation. 1 in 20 will kill a patient do to a fatigue related error.
The Centers for Disease Control and prevention in the US (CDC) has now declared insufficient sleep to be a public health problem. Insufficient sleep causes many chronic and acute medical conditions that have an enormous impact on quality of life. The belief that sleep is the easiest corner to cut is what makes sleep disturbance among the most common sources of health problems in many countries.
AN UNDER-SLEPT WORKFORCE!
This overworked under-slept mentality is counter-intuitive to success since you are less productive with less sleep. Also since your prefrontal cortex is first to shut off when sleep deprived. The PFC is your rational, logical governor of executive brain functions. This is the last part of you brain to mature therefore reducing you literally to a lower maturity level and risk assessment reduction. Your amygdala, the emotional control center of the brain, is therefore unchecked and you will experience large mood swings along with a significant reduction in cognitive efficiency and physical capabilities. It is much less beneficial to bleed people to get more out of them by over working them when they could get more done in less time with more breaks and sufficient rest. Tours and touring related companies should be investing in the well-being of their crews in order to lessen the stressful, toxic environments and high possibility of accident or injury that can occur in the industry of touring. Happier well-rested people are more productive, are able to have more creative solutions, overall more efficient and have a much higher ability to act in a safety consciousness manner. In other words, they are all around their better selves. Sleeping over 7 hours a night has shown to improve performance and skill learning up to 20-30% as sleep is when memory is solidified and retained.
To top all of this off we work in a chronically jet-lag industry as we have written about already. Chronic jet lag alters the brain in ways that cause memory and learning problems long after one’s return to a regular 24-hour schedule. It has been shown to shrink the hippocampus,the part of the brain associated with short-term and long-term memory. In a study by UC Berkeley this has been shown,
“This is the first time anyone has done a controlled trial of the effects of jet lag on brain and memory function, and not only do we find that cognitive function is impaired during the jet lag, but we see an impact up to a month afterward”….”What this says is that, whether you are a flight attendant, medical resident, or rotating shift worker, repeated disruption of circadian rhythms is likely going to have a long-term impact on your cognitive behavior and function.”
-Lance Kriegsfeld, UC Berkeley associate professor of psychology and a member of the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute.
This is further reinforced by another study about jet lag published in PLoS ONE by Kriegsfeld graduate student Erin M. Gibson and colleagues, “Other studies have shown that chronic transmeridian flights increase deficits in memory and learning along with atrophy in the brain’s temporal lobe, suggesting a possible hippocampal deficit… Our study shows directly that jet lag decreases neurogenesis in the hippocampus. For air travelers, jet lag is a minor annoyance from which most recover within a few days, perhaps with the help of a melatonin pill. For people who repeatedly cross time zones, such as flight attendants, the effects have been shown to be more serious. Flight attendants and rotating shift workers – people who regularly alternate between day and night shifts – have been found to have learning and memory problems, decreased reaction times, higher incidences of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer and reduced fertility. The World Health Organization lists shift work as a carcinogen.”
-Robert Sanders, Media Relations for UC Berkley.
This is bad news for those of us who continuously tour around the globe and we all need to be aware of the effect it has on every single one of us. If you are truly concerned about your mental and physical health then sleep is one of the most actionable places to start. It is at the top of all health markers.
REASONS FOR LACKING SLEEP
We are a dark deprived society. Human beings are the only animals that deprive themselves of sleep aside from animals in the grips of starvation. Repercussions of the Industrial Revolution and the advent of artificial light have turned us into a working yourself to death species. Creating unsustainable work environments with far too much exposure to artificial light, all of us dancing in perpetual light pollution, when it is supposed to be dark.
Sleep debt. Sleep is not like the bank. You can’t accumulate debt and hope to pay it off on the weekend. There is no credit system in the brain for sleep. Three nights of what you might call “recuperative sleep” is still insufficient to restore sleep after a week of sleep deprivation. According to Harvard Health Publishing “Medical evidence suggests that for optimum health and function, the average adult should get seven to nine hours of sleep daily. Although each hour of lost slumber goes into the health debit column, we don’t get any monthly reminders that we’ve fallen in arrears. In fact, the greater the sleep debt, the less capable we are of recognizing it: Once sleep deprivation — with its fuzzy-headedness, irritability, and fatigue — has us in its sway, we can hardly recall what it’s like to be fully rested. And as the sleep debt mounts, the health consequences increase, putting us at growing risk for weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and memory loss.”
There is no safety net in the brain for lack of sleep. Days, weeks, months and years of inadequate or restricted sleep will result in a baseline rest. Individuals will acclimate to their impaired performance, low alertness and reduced energy level. This low-level exhaustion will become their excepted norm including a slow accumulation of ill-health. Sleep is the foundation of good health. There is no known effective counter measure to not get enough sleep. You can not have “good” mental or physical health without sufficient sleep. Insufficient sleep will distort your DNA if receiving only 6 hours in a night. 20 hrs of being awake is equal to being drunk, in fact it can be worse due to a thing called Microsleep. Microsleep is a fleeting, uncontrollable, brief episode of sleep which can last anywhere from a single fraction of a second up to 10 full seconds. These episodes of microsleep occur most frequently when a sleepy person is trying to fight sleep and remain awake. In other words, the brain uncontrollably goes to sleep for seconds at a time and can have devastating consequence especially whilst driving or operating machinery.
” No aspect of our biology is left unscathed by sleep deprivation.”
-Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep
Understanding Sleep – The Science
Circadian rhythm or “Body Clock” as explained by the National Sleep Foundation –
“If you’ve ever noticed that you tend to feel energized and drowsy around the same times every day, you have your circadian rhythm to thank. What is it, exactly? Your circadian rhythm is basically a 24-hour internal clock that is running in the background of your brain and cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals. It’s also known as your sleep/wake cycle.”
Sleep occurs in repeating periods, in which the body alternates between two distinct modes known as non-REM and REM sleep.
During sleep, most of the body’s systems are in an anabolic state, helping to restore the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems. These are vital processes that maintain mood, memory, and cognitive performance and play a large role in the function of the endocrine and immune systems. The advent of artificial light has substantially altered sleep timing in industrial countries. Researchers have found that sleeping 6-7 hours each night correlates with longevity and cardiac health in humans.
Sleep difficulties are furthermore associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder. Up to 90% of adults with depression are found to have sleep difficulties. Sleep cleans out the toxic junk in your brain!
The Sleep cycle
There are four stages to the sleep cycle, each full cycle takes 90 minutes to complete. We go through five rotations during 7.5 hrs.
→Stage 1 (Non REM transition to sleep)
– Easily awakened
– Muscles relax, may twitch
– Slow eye movements
→Stage 2 (Non REM Light sleep)
– Breathing, Heart rate regular
– Body temp drops
– Lose sense of place
– Slower brain waves
– Eye movement stops
→Stage 3 (Non REM Deep Sleep)
– Blood pressure drops
– Muscles relax
– Tissue grows and repairs
– Energy is restored
– Hormones are released
– Even slower brain waves
→Stage 4 ( REM)
– Brain is active dreaming
– Eyes dart rapidly
– Muscles are paralyzed
– Irregular breathing/heart rate
→Return to Stage 1
How to adjust your sleep to the demands of your life.
Have you ever had to get up at 3:30 am for 6 am flight and you actually felt refreshed? In turn have you ever slept 10 hours or more and still felt tired, groggy and in a crappy mood? Why is this? Doesn’t more sleep equal well-rested and less sleep equal exhausted? Not exactly…
Your sleep time is flexible. Look at sleep in terms of cycles not hours! How many 90 minute cycles do you need a night to feel your best? How many is that per week? That is your target number. This allows you to take control even if life/tour schedule gets in the way. So you miss your optimal 5 cycles and only get 3 or 4. Figure out were you can compensate for them so that by the end of the week you are as close to your 35 cycles as possible. NAPS are one of your tools here to make your cycles! Try to avoid 3 nights of fewer cycles a week. Aim to achieve your ideal amount at least 4 times per week. This is a 24 hr recovery process now! Be in control of your recovery.
→Pre-rig your sleep schedule for the week.
→At least 4 nights in a week of ideal cycles.
→Change 5 cycles to 4 or 4 up to 6.
→Follow at least two nights of less sleep by an ideal one.
Quality vs. Quantity – A new way to look at sleep. Sleep smarter.
Unlock Your Time! The goal should be focused on the quality of sleep not the quantity. You might need less sleep than you think. A good nights sleep is about getting enough sleep hours in well-balanced sleep phases. It’s not just the hours of sleep but which sleep cycle you wake up from. The quality of sleep not the quantity has quite an impact on how you feel the next day. Sleep is about recovery. While asleep we wash away the toxins of the day.
5 cycles a day/ 35 cycles a week! 12-7:30 am is the most optimal time frame, if you can do it!
“Five 90-minute sleep cycles a day is optimal, no matter what order they are in. Catching up on sleep is a waste of time. Once it’s lost its gone!”
–Nick Littlehales, elite sports sleep coach an author of “Sleep.”
Since sleep cycles repeat every 90 minutes, if you wake up in the middle you will feel groggy for the rest of the day. Waking up before a new cycle begins will leave you feeling refreshed. Be intentional about how much you sleep to get complete cycles. Wake time 90 minutes before you need to be anywhere.
“Wakefulness is low-level brain damage and sleep is how we recover from it.”
-Dr. Matthew Walker
Sure fire tactics – Check list –
→Keep track of your sleep through out the week in cycles.
→Keep a constant wake time.
→Optimized sleep hour cycle times are as follows – 3hrs, 4 1/2 hrs, 6 hrs, 7 1/2 hrs. and 9 hrs. When sleep is limited waking in these increments is your best option depending on the time you need to be up. Wake up at the peak of one of these cycles rather than in the middle or in between. In other words if you have to be up in four hours, wake in three to get at least two complete 90 min cycles. Do this so as to not force yourself to wake while in a deep sleep.
→Breath right nose breathing strips or other devices to avoid mouth breathing and snoring (this itself is a game changer in the sleep quality game!).
→Ear plugs and Face mask to reduce noise and light exposure which can both interrupt sleep.
→Caffeine – limit 400mg a day/ as a performance enhancer not to just perform. (Caffeine increases adrenaline levels in the blood.) Avoid caffiene at least 6 hrs before bedtime.
→Best Sleep position – is to sleep on your Non domain side – this is a defense position to feel secure while you sleep as you are the most vunerable during this process.
→Back = snore/state of alert – not as good.
→Front= bad spine position – not as good.
→Dark room – Blackout curtains. Hide digital clocks and glowing electronics from view, the darker the room the better.
→White noise – can help mask disruptive activity from inside and outside your sleep environments.
→Light Therapy – for jet lag, depression and long hours indoors during the day. Bright light exposure is the most powerful way to cause a phase shift — an advance or delay in circadian rhythms.
→Limit screen use – Limit technologies at key times such as 90 minutes before attempting to sleep as it suppresses the production of melatonin. Melatonin tells your body that it is night, helping to make you sleepy.
→Meditation – has been shown to evoke the relaxation response.
→A low profile pillow – Consider carrying one on tour with you to be sure to always keep your head and neck in a safe neutral position. Helping to avoid any unnecessary strain or stress on the spine which can lead to neck pain, stiffness or other physical discomfort or body imbalances that can develop from poor sleep alignment. Your spine, neck and head should form a single straight line when in your optimal sleep position. Fold up a blanket if your hotel pillows are too thick.
→Optimal room temp – (15c) 59F – 64F (18c). Lowering your body temperature cues the onset of sleep and can help maintain a more sound sleep throughout the night.
→ Journaling – Unload problems or issues before bed (write them down). This relieves your brain of the worry and stress brought on by any problems unsolved during the daytime.
→Hot bath with Epsom salts – before sleep can relax muscle tensions.
→Drink tea – caffeine free (decaf is not the same.) This can produce a calming effect on the mind and body. Reishi mushroom has been used to help enhance the immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep, and lessen fatigue.
→Light static stretching – to aid relaxation and muscle recovery.
→Exercise – Strength training beats cardio – releases endorphins to increase wakefulness and later increased better quality sleep. It may also aid in resetting circadian rhythms due to its effect on body temperature.
→ Increase Magnesium consumption. An essential mineral for muscle relaxation and much more.
→Eat a balanced diet.
→Take Melatonin pills – before sleep if having difficulty falling asleep or when jet lagged. Make sure to stick to taking the appropriate dose.
→ tart cherry juice is a natural source of Melatonin.
→Be as consistent as possible. Your body cannot adjust quickly to different sleep schedules.
→NAPS!
→Nap right or don’t nap at all…
→Nap for less than 30 mins or take an hour and a half between 1-3pm to maximize REM sleep. After 4pm you will go into long cycle creating the “zombie effect” when you wake.
→Use devices and apps for tracking your sleep and wake times. Use an app to analyze your sleep, one that wakes you up in a light sleep cycle such as “Bedtime” on iPhone or Sleep Cycle app
REMEMBER>>>
→Your body cannot adjust quickly to different sleep schedules. Hence why jet lag is such a drag.
→1 hr of screen time at night equals a 3hr delay in melatonin release.
→60% increase of possible injuries.
→You suffer 30% more physical exhaustion from lack of sleep
→There is a 25% increase in heart attacks during day light savings when there is only a 1 hr loss of sleep each year.
→Hotels put us in threat detection sleep, preventing half our brains from getting into deep sleep.
→Drugs which induce sleep can interfere with REM sleep by blocking Stage 4 (REM stage) in the sleep cycle.
There should be more consideration for the potential of negative health consequences, mental and physical, when it comes to being paid to work extremely long hours. The World Touring Industry on a whole should really take a hard and honest look at what they are asking crews to do when they deprive them of adequate time for meaningful sleep.
Putting sleep on the top of your list is going to change your life!!!
The post Let’s talk about SLEEP…all the good things and the bad things and what you really need. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>Don’t say we didn’t warn you!…
If you’re on tour you’ve no doubt anticipated the fleeting hours of a day off, the day’s adventure or lack thereof, or simply the solitude of your own hotel room where you may find solace from the unavoidable and unescapable babble, body odors, and bacteria that is our life on a tour bus. This alleviation is hardly ever more prevalent and crucial when one contracts a sickness or virus away from home. Hotel rooms can be a temporary wonderland for many of you who tour throughout the year and especially if you’re a person who doesn’t.
Hotel rooms can also be an inconspicuous horror show of what took place hours before you swipe your key card and move in, completely oblivious of the prior tenants use or abuse. It would take a hazmat crew days for decontamination, disinfection & sanitizing yet most housekeeping is allotted approximately 30 minutes to ready the average hotel room for the next guest, many without the proper or prudent tools of the trade.
So…
-Don’t assume the beds’ comforter hasn’t been soiled or sat on by naked people, It Has.
-Don’t assume the Televisions’ remote control is free of germs and E.coli, It Isn’t.
-Don’t assume because there is a paper on top of the bathroom drinking glass’s that these things actually have been sanitized, they most likely haven’t ever left that room.
I’m not suggesting that you should clean your hotel room yourself, fuck that… not on my day off. Rather, follow some simple steps to reduce your exposure to the debauchery of the previous day, the week before that, and the years before that. Once you get this routine down it usually takes under 10 minutes to complete this neurotic process.
First Things First,
Hotel Room Air!!!
If you’re fortunate to get a hotel room with a window that opens, let the fresh air flow with the front door open and the room fan a blazing.
LUGGAGE:
These luggage racks never work for me, too small and too low…
Solution: Use the Ironing board…
No bending, easier to access and better stability than the tiny luggage rack.
Use the smaller luggage rack, in a nook of the room, for Small Bags and Backpacks etc.
THE “JACK-OFF” CHAIR
Would you sit in a chair that someone jacked themselves off or sat in naked an hour earlier?
Solution: Use the hotel bathrobe to cover the chair.
Hotel bathrobes fit perfectly as a chair cover. You can also use an extra bath towel of which can be found in unlimited amounts from Housekeeping. Just ask and you shall receive.
TV Remote
The same “Jackoff” probably watched a bit of tele so the TV remote can not be trusted to be sperm free let alone germ and E.coli free.
Solution: Always travel with a ziplock bag!!!
Put the remote in a ziplock bag. The television remote will still work as usual and eliminate the transfer of just about everything. (Just think about being sick with the flu or a virus and all you have energy to do is flip around the channels holding the remote control for hours.)
T.V.
Make the most out of movie/computer time by utilizing the TV HDMI inputs. Bring a light weight HDMI cable with you always. This way you can watch Netflix, computer movies, or whatever and still have full access to the internet on your computer.
Sometimes the desk input bays work and sometimes you have to access the back of the TV itself.
Insert HDMI cable from your computer to the TV and select the proper source…Movie Time!!! (Deselect ‘monitor mirroring’ in ‘preferences’ to utilize your computer while streaming on the television.)
THE DESK or THE DESEX
for people who use hotels as a place away from home to fuck or engage in acts of perversion not encouraged elsewhere… the desk, bathroom counter, and the sofa are widely used surfaces for such alternatives to the bed. Personally, having gone a few shades darker, the closet isn’t even off-limits.
SOLUTION: Cover the desk with a bath towel if you plan to eat or work on it.
The Convenient Coffee Maker/Hot Water Kettle…
Before you make yourself coffee or use that kettle, do a few test runs before you use them. Pour a cup of tap water through the coffee maker without using a k-cup or coffee packet. From experience, it takes about 3 clean brewing cycles to produce a clear cup of hot water.
Next,
Make Room for Activities…
Yoga, in-room workouts, stretching, etc. Arrange furniture for maximum space.
Use the heavy ass comforter, yes the one that hardly ever gets changed, for an awesome yoga mat, workout area.
Regular blankets can sometimes be found in a drawer or closet or ask housekeeping to bring you a regular blanket(s) for sleeping. Usually, getting fresh linens, towels, and blankets directly from housekeeping reduce the chance that they have been previously used without being washed.
While you’re at it, check for bedbugs and put the less heavy blanket on the bed.
Who knows what is in or on that room carpet? Another blanket may be used as a carpet. Now you have wall to wall coverage for your feet.
Believe it or not, many times the pillow cases are not changed as well as the comforter or bedspread. Bring your own pillow case for piece of mind and a seemingly familiar place to lay your head.
THE BATHROOM…
Don’t assume it’s really been “Sanitized for your Protection”. This is where shower shoes, flip-flops, or hotel slippers are essential. Proper foot attire will lessen your exposure to athletes foot in the shower, improperly cleaned bathroom floors, and crusty carpets throughout the hotel.
Be sure not to walk on your wall to wall blankets with your contaminated bathroom foot attire.
Keep personals off the counter
and sanitize or wash the drinking glasses if you plan to use them.
Better yet, grab a plastic cup(s) off the bus and eliminate the hotel drinking glasses all together.
If you plan to smoke, don’t get busted…
Test the vent to make sure you have proper suction from the bathroom vent by using a tissue. If it sticks…you’re good to go.
For extra measure… Make a small smoke catcher, use magazine pages, around the vent and smoke as close as you can to the vent.
Use a glass filled with a little water for extinguishing your smoking object and then flush down the toilet immediately.
Make sure to wipe up any fallen ashes!!! Caution…Some hotel vents carry air from your room and release it in the hallway. (Such as a very old and historic hotels) Such nefarious actions, once upon a time, led to every room on the floor to be bothered by security. My room was first to be checked and passed using the technics given, yet I did feel a bit sorry for the rest of the floor being disturbed by security.
leaving…
In the morning before you leave, Steam up the bathroom, spray cologne, deodorant, or Ozium and make the house keeper a strong cup of coffee or two and place it in the bathroom to mask any residual smoke smell. Turn the thermostat on high fan/low temperature and leave the DND sign on the door to allow maximum time before housekeeping arrives.
I also encourage leaving housekeeping a tip.
That wonderful gesture of monetary gratuity might just convince that particular housekeeper to look the other way incase you failed or be more inclined to return a forgotten item accidentally left in the room.
Remember, “Rooms are not ready yet” means that you’re guaranteed a room that someone has just vacated.
At times, housekeeping works at a furious pace to have 50 rooms ready at check-in time leaving very little time for proper cleaning. We’ve all checked into a room and found some remnants of hotel guest past, now imagine the remnants that you can’t see. As a longtime member of the touring class I have either been part of or been privy to many jaw-dropping hotel room escapades most involving bodily fluids and external fluids all of which remain in the room long after check out.
These events vaguely depicted in this article are not myths nor exaggeration, wicked shit does happen in hotel rooms. Again, everyone has their own threshold of neurosis, limits of denial, and levels of complacency to live by.
So, Check on in, make yourself at home, and do what you do when nobody’s looking.
Just like the people before you and the people after you.
It is what it is.
–Fuck That!!!…..
It is what I make it to be.
-Anonymous
The post WARNING! hotel freak: uncensored advice from a neurotic pov. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>The post Surviving This Tour Life: a financial guide. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>The 2011 APA Stress In America report found that out of the eight top sources of stress in America, five were financial: money, work, the economy, job stability and housing costs. A survey done by the associated press and AOL examined stress caused by debt and found that respondents suffered more: headaches/migraines, depression, heart attacks, muscle tension/lower back pain and ulcers/digestive problems.
Feast or Famine…
Anyone who has worked in this business for more than a couple of years knows this job can be fraught with many ups and downs. At times we are working so much there seems to be no end in sight but inevitably that end will come. A typical tour has an average shelf life of around 12 – 18 months. Sometimes gigs can last 2 years or more – if you’re lucky. Most of us will find ourselves looking for our next gig every year or so, and sometimes it can be a month to month endeavor.
You may find yourself fortunate enough to have a seamless transition from one gig to the next but more often the end and start dates don’t quite line up. We often lose out on jobs since we cannot realistically be in two places at once. We may need to leave a tour early to secure work for the next year or more. We may also, at times, decide to decline work for the purpose of proving loyalty to secure our future longevity with an Artist. All of the uncertainty forces us to deal with the likelihood of many missed opportunities, possibly jumping to the wrong gig or damaging our professional relationships depending on the outcome of our choices. We may stay with a tour fearing we might lose out on a “secure” paycheck only to find it was not as “secure” as we thought. In touring, we make our decisions for all sorts of personal reasons but far too often it is the economic stress of our individual situations that guides rationale. In order to lessen our stress levels we should have a financial plan.
Make a Plan
Creating a budget for yourself is a good first step in taking control of your financial health. Having a budget will allow you to make sure you are prepared for times in between gigs, unforeseen emergencies and for retirement. A very general outline for budgeting in the freelance world is
→50% for living expenses
→30% for taxes (unless you are taxed by who you are working for)
→20% towards savings/retirement
This of course varies from person to person depending on how much you make and what your necessary living expenses are. Not everyone is able to allocate a full 20% to savings; if this is the case, the percentage amount can be reduced, but this formula should provide motivation for you to increase your value and re-evaluate what you consider discretionary spending.
Having savings available for when you are unable to work is essential.
→Have a savings account with 3-6 months of living costs available, most freelance guides recommend having 12 months available if you can. If you are savvy enough to get to the 12 month point — consider putting 6 months of it into investments or a high yield savings account. Let your money earn some money for you (living costs are bills, necessities & discretionary spending).
Maintaining a separate emergency account for emergency spending.
→Medical costs, broken down car, broken fridge, etc… An easy way to start building up a cushion is to set up a direct debit into a savings account, even if it’s just $25 a week.
Account for health insurance.
→You may want to have a saving account just for health care costs or needs in event of losses or reduced income.
→There are savings accounts that are designed to be used in conjunction with a high deductible health care plan called a health savings account (HSA). The money you put into these accounts is not taxable.
Keep your expenses low.
→Less is more. If you don’t already know, more things don’t necessarily equal more or lasting happiness. If we have our needs met, we can live a pretty good life. Try to avoid a ‘hedonic treadmill’ effect where once we acquire something new eventually we get over it and need to buy other new things to retain this feeling. As touring crew, we learn how to travel for months with more of what we need and less of what we don’t. We leave behind cars, houses and lots of material goods in exchange of a backpack and a suitcase. Living within or below your means will keep you out of debt. There is so much more to life than stuff; like experiencing the world — which is one of the major reasons why we believe most of us do this crazy job.
Prepare for Taxes
Not having enough cash available to pay your taxes at the end of the year can feel very stressful and potentially put you into debt with the government. If you are receiving any payments that aren’t taxed before you get them make sure to have 30% of that income available for taxes.
Opting not to have taxes withheld from your payments can also be an investment strategy. Your taxes are not due until the end of the year. This means all the money you pay towards taxes before they are due isn’t earning you any interest. If you hold onto the money you can earn interest or invest it allowing you to earn some extra income before paying your tax bill.
Do you Qualify for Unemployment?
According to the Department of Labor, you need to meet two criteria to qualify for unemployment:
→You are unemployed through no fault of your own: That means you are out of a job due to reasons beyond your control, like a layoff. So, if you quit your job or are fired for gross misconduct, you are not eligible. “Gross misconduct” generally refers to illegal or dangerous acts committed in the workplace.
→You meet your state’s requirements for time worked or wages earned: Every state has different rules. You can find your state’s rules here.
Review your Finances Regularly
Since we work in a freelance/employee style (1099 contractor vs. W-2 employee) industry our financial situations can vary drastically; because of this it is important to stay in tune with your financial situation even after taking control of your finances. Regularly check in just to make sure everything is in good health and also to help you keep your financial goals in mind. There are a few different resources that allow you to aggregate all of your financial information into one place. Doing this allows you to quickly and easily review your financial situation.
Track Expenses
Keeping good records of money spent for business purposes can really help you when it comes to tax season.
One method is to have a credit card that you use for all of your business expenses. This lets you easily review and input business expenses for tax purposes. The IRS requires a statement that shows the transaction date, the payee’s name and the amount you paid.
Remember…
→Credit is their money, debit is yours. Credit is the safer option as long as you don’t fall into debt.
→Use cards with rewards that will benefit you.
→Use one card for tour and one for home to keep track of expenses and spending.
→Paying off the cards every month is best! Most major credit card companies allow a 21-28 day grace period before interest is charged.
If you find yourself unemployed, don’t avoid your creditors if you’re struggling to pay. See if they can do things like freeze your interest rate. It benefits them to not let it get out of control, until you can get back on track.
Diversify your Gigs.
Consistent work from one-act may provide a steady income but you may become overly dependent and limit your resume and contacts.
→Continue to learn new skills.
→Network.
→Market yourself.
→Get others gigs.
→Create multiple sources of income.
Plan for Retirement.
Most of us don’t have the luxury of employers that offer retirement plans or incentives and it is important that we prepare. There isn’t one right way to prepare for retirement and many strategies are available. The IRS outlines types of qualified retirement plans and offers some comparison charts between account types for you to consider. There are also services such as wealthfront.com that automate investment strategies based on your individual financial situation.
Get Independent Financial Advice.
We are not financial experts or advisors so invest time looking into all these concepts for yourself. It’s worth it.
The post Surviving This Tour Life: a financial guide. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>The post The Mental Health of Tour Life. on and off the road. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>But before you begin your run-where is your head?
Are there unsettled issues at home? Are you excited? Nervous? Stressed? Ready to take on a new challenge? Worried you don’t posses all the skills the gig requires? Uncertain of where you stand amongst the rest of the camp? Are you preparing to be healthier on the road? Have you set yourself up to succeed or to just fall back into the same old same habits? Amid the myriad of things you need to have in order, your mental health should be your biggest priority. Why? Because everything else will follow if that is in top shape.
450 Million people suffer from mental illness according to the World Health Organization. They also report studies that 1 in 4 people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. That places mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health and disabilities world-wide. A recent study conducted in Australia has spotlighted how large this issue is within our own industry.
You are not alone…
It can be very rewarding to work in the music industry. The love of music, traveling and the rush of the crowds, the energy of all involved is electric. In fact most, if not all, say they do it because they love it; but that does not make it a perfect situation. The hours are a bit insane, the travel is extensive [global] and the stress can be overwhelming. Most power through, rise to the occasion and rock it! However, if you’ve been doing it long enough you are bound to have hit a wall or two or even three, made a mistake or just didn’t fit in that particular camp. Admit it, it takes a toll and as amazing as most are in this business you are not superhuman nor infallible. If we are not careful it is highly possible for us to crash physically, emotionally, mentally or even worse – all three.
You may not realize it but you could be in a downward spiral. It is important to be aware of the signs:
→Tiredness
→Irritability
→Angry feelings
→Anxiety
→Stomach pains
→Chest pains
→Lack of sleep
This decline of wellbeing may lead to damage that does not just go away with some extra sleep. Not addressing this damage can have lasting effects. Each time this happens it’s wearing down your resilience and slowing your ability to recover. This can result in a lasting depression and/or anxiety that is easily and often triggered if not addressed.
Ignored or unaddressed burnout can have significant consequences, including:
→Excessive stress
→Fatigue
→Insomnia
→A negative spillover into personal relationships or home life
→Depression
→Anxiety
→Alcohol or substance abuse
→Heart disease
→High cholesterol
→Type 2 diabetes, especially in women
→Stroke
→Obesity
→Vulnerability to illnesses
Depression and anxiety can cost you jobs, opportunities, relationships and marriages. Sometimes we may not feel all the negative effects of touring while on the road but those affects can hit us hard a day or so after we return home. For some being home can be bittersweet. It may be likened closest to soldiers away from home. As much as they look forward to getting back home they often report finding themselves longing for a return to the fray. It’s not for a love of war that the soldiers most often report wanting to go back to a war zone but a longing for the camaraderie, ‘brotherhood’ and support that comes from being in a unit; like being in a tribe. Although touring is not a life and death situation, it is a unit working close together with the bond of a common goal and shared invested success.
At home we may feel a lack of purpose, direction or usefulness that we may get from being a part of a “tour family”. We can feel isolated amongst even friends and family who may have difficultly relating or even possibly a slight jealousy of your life on the road. Seeing the world is amazing yes but we are also subjected to really large down sides. We are not always able to keep constant, quality communication with loved ones. We can experience long stretches away from home and then suddenly long periods home without work. We sometimes may struggle with relating to the 9-5 lifestyle or feel out of touch with our home lives. We miss lots of events and have a tough time planning or committing to things too far in advance.
Depression and anxiety are ramped in this tour life. We often don’t know exactly what our schedule will be or when we’re leaving next, sudden extended tour dates or worse cancelled ones. When it’s good- it’s great and when it’s not it’s rough. Your mental health is where your resilience, strength and prosperity will lay. Be proactive instead of remaining in denial that you are impervious to any of this. Be prepared when getting ready to head out on the road.
Take control…
First visit your doctor and talk about your mental and physical health. Make sure, if needed, you are always on top of your prescriptions. Besides those who need medication there are things we all should do for our mental “hygiene”. Learn about coping strategies like diet, exercise, meditation, keeping a journal, supplements etc.
Some mental health issues are genetic and those who know this affects them should take the extra steps needed to be prepared. The US embassy can help you locate medical services and also help with what substances are prohibited in any given country.
Monitor your intake. It is no secret that touring, as has been the subject of our other articles, can play havoc on the body and the mind. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again- late nights, early mornings, little sleep, long hours, questionable food choices, irregular exercise, alcohol and drugs can take a life lasting toll if not controlled or counteracted with good, consistent habits in time.
Seek Help. If you feel you are struggling with burnout, depression, anxiety or general feeling of isolation due to the nature of touring, reach out either to a professional, a mentor, trusted friend, family or significant other. Do not be afraid to ask for help. We all need to lean on each other now and again. Everyone should seek a mentor or council from others they trust. This quality makes us stronger, not weaker, and is way to relate to others.
There are many options these days utilizing technology to connect you with therapists, family, friends or significant others including something as simple as using Skype. There are apps available that help with mood tracking. Mood tracking can help you figure out if there are specific triggers that contribute to whatever you may be struggling with.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has resources available here.
All work and no play…
days off on the road can be a sacred time to catch up on rest. Although this can be necessary, try to add other activities as well. Make some time to get out and explore, go for a walk, visit a museum, go to a gym, do yoga or just stretch. Mobility is you next biggest asset in longevity after your mental state.
Set some goals.
It’s a new year, some say it’s a time for new beginnings, new perspectives and maybe a renewed interest in self-improvement. It can be a time for setting new goals or maybe — finally accomplishing old ones. This for some can be invigorating, inspiring and full of hope. For others it can be daunting, overwhelming and sometimes depressing. For those who feel that pressure or self-doubt, let me just say take a breath. If you’re seeking change, as most of us are in the new year, don’t set yourself up for failure by biting off more than you can chew. Before you start your journey you need to mentally set yourself up for success. You should first have some smaller goals you can accomplish quickly, which will build confidence and then larger ones that will need you to be consistent over a much longer timeline.
You’ll ultimately need to build better habits not just temporary fixes in order to make lasting change. Just like trying to get to the top of a building that does not have an elevator, you need to take it step by step in order to get to the top. Each small step you take gets you closer to your larger goal. Too often we overwhelm ourselves with everything all at once. This is the mental war we fight before we even get started. We often talk ourselves out of the first step mentally before we even take a single step physically. All action starts in the brain. Why does this matter? Well, as a culture we put very little effort into our mental health, yet it is the birthplace of all our ideas, reactions and habits; good or bad. Having the right mental attitude towards the outside world and ourselves will determine almost everything about our lives.
More Signs…
This lifestyle can spark mood changes, depression, anxiety and uncharacteristic behaviors. When repressed and not addressed these changes can carry over to your home life. Sustained exposure to high levels of stress may create PTSD like symptoms. Lack of job security or worse over confidence in job security can create a type “touring Stockholm Syndrome” so to speak, the highly emotional state of tour and closeness with the artist may lead us to blindness that we are irreplaceable. There is an intensity and commitment to perfection that can be demanded when touring with a highly successful Artist. There is an infectious vibe that is often personified by the adoring crowds. A level of performance pressure to excel for all involved creating a dependence and emotional investment that needs to be put into perspective at times. If you put all your self-confidence and identity into one thing it can easily fail you or you move on and you are left with a hole. Always know what your personal goals are in this venture, don’t be marginalized by the wave of self-importance of an individual tour or artist. Have an exit strategy. When dealing with issues maintain a dignified and professional attitude. Heavy emotional ties can lead to severe emotional distress when things, on any level or reason, no longer work out. This can be an under lying source of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Let go of any issues with whatever personal feelings you have developed about self-improvement; that can be the difference between life and death…literally. We all need to learn how to maintain our mental health. Tour life can be a very unhealthy work environment if you let it. Performing daily mental and physical beneficial acts can make huge improvements to counteract the negative stresses we can be subjected to repeatedly. Find what works for you, invest and trust the process.
It will only make you stronger.
The post The Mental Health of Tour Life. on and off the road. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>The post frequent flyer club: the good, the bad and the ugly. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>Life on the road can ostensibly present endless images of adventure and a buoyant lifestyle. Travel can be a liberator from the mundane nature of the modern human work life. Most people embarking on the occasional plane trip deal with little to no consequences aside from the long lines at the security check, flight delays and the jet lag that will come from spanning time zones in short time frame. It’s a small price to pay for the escape. However, those of us that tour the world for a living need to be aware of the consequences that the traveling life style can bring. Frequent flying can induce a state of chronic jet lag. Being in this stressed state has been shown to cause memory impairment, disruption of gene expression, impair our immune system and increase our risk of heart attack or stroke over time. There is scientific research that says the more an individual travels, the faster they will age. Just the mere disruption of our circadian rhythms and wake cycles can lead to disordered physiological rhythms – This can trigger specific genes also related to how we age . A ‘road warrior’ lifestyle can be so much tougher on you then you may realize. Extreme business travel can have a wide range of physiological, psychological, emotional and social consequences. Understanding that extensive air travel is not entirely healthy can help us take the steps needed to be at our optimum, avoid getting sick and stay mentally sharp.
A Weakened Immune System
– The immune system is our body’s biological defense system that protects us against disease. A weakened immune system can lead to illness and infection.
The perfect combination of jet lag, general exhaustion of traveling and the break neck pace of touring can all come together to switch off genes that are linked to our immune system. When this happens we become less equipped to fight off disease than our more sedentary, less traveled counterparts. Poor eating habits, that can come from being constantly on the go, with less access to fresh healthy foods, can weaken your immune system even further.
–“I’ll just eat on the flight”.
Just so you know, airline foods are loaded with salt and sugar for better taste at high altitudes. At 35,000 ft your taste buds go numb in the pressurized conditions. The excess salt and sugar added creates a perfect environment in the body for viruses and bacteria to thrive.
The Humidity level in the cabin, dries out your nose evaporating nasal mucus and making for desert like conditions leading to dehydration. Staying hydrated before, during and after a flight is imperative to ease jet lag, fatigue and for overall good health.
→so hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Caffeine can be dehydrating and hampers your normal sleep cycle, making you feel sluggish when you reach your destination. If a warm beverage is what you want, try choosing tea over coffee to keep you hydrated. Alcohol, although it may help some fall asleep, impairs your ability to get into a deep sleep preventing you from feeling rested and may prolong jet lag. Water is always the best choice to maintain good levels of water in your body and blood.
nourishment
Sitting for such long periods of time can cause a lower metabolic rate and slower digestion. This can lead to gas, bloating and constipation. Eating as little and light as possible while on the plane will help reduce these symptoms. Pass on cold foods such as raw salads served on the plane – If you must eat, try to stick to warm nourishment as it is easier to digest at altitude.
According to researchers at Harvard Medical School, fasting before a long flight may help prevent or reduce jet lag. Try intermediate fasting for up to 16 hours before and during flying. It is harder to digest food under the pressurized conditions, better to eat before you board if you must.
Some food tends to cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as gas pain and bloating – like most of the greasy and oily options at the airport. Try to avoid processed and fried foods, sugary items and white bread since these foods tend to make you feel tired and unsatisfied. Look to eat lean proteins such as boneless, skinless chicken, turkey breast, egg whites and lean fish such as tuna. Steamed vegetables, fennel seeds, rice and herbs like cumin, coriander, clove and cinnamon are all good choices pre flight. All have healthy pre- and probiotic properties excellent for a healthy gut micro-biome and digestion.
Poor Mental health
Stress can be a big component of travel. Air travel magnifies this with todays high alert anxieties over things such as terrorism and safety. This is all compounded by weather delays, technical failures, security checks etc… Constantly changing time zones and daily schedules stress our circadian rhythms. The disruption of circadian rhythms not only affects sleep but also mood, judgement and concentration for up to six days. Being away from home for more than 20 nights per month has been shown to cause cognitive decline in those who travel for work. This also puts us at risk for a higher BMI leading to obesity, high blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.
Traveling for tour can also leave you feeling a bit lonely and/or isolated at times. We don’t always travel together, in fact often during air travel we are traveling alone going to or from home. For some, leaving family and loved ones behind can leave you with feelings of guilt for not being there. This can lead to serious issues with our mental health and increase psychological issues as it can stress our relationships with loved ones. Staying in contact with significant others, friends and family while on the road can help with this. Trying to avoid isolating and disconnecting from your home life when touring can also help. Make the time to talk. Try including as many details about your day as you can recall, the more the better. This will give a better picture of how you spend your time when away and will make your significant others feel included and connected. In turn listen to their day no matter how mundane it may seem compared to yours… it matters to them. We live in amazing times where we can video chat on our hand-held smart phones. Take advantage of it as often as possible (using your headphones so the rest of us don’t have to hear everything).
When you get home maybe you’re jet-lagged, stressed out or just plain exhausted. You may still have tour-related things on your mind, like receipts for reimbursements, doing laundry for the first time in a month, or just sleeping in your own bed. Take time first to catch-up and reconnect with your personal relationships before settling in. They’ve been waiting for you.
Negative Physical effects
One of the most common conditions associated with air travel is the formation of blood clots in the legs known as Deep Vein Thrombosis. These are created by long periods of immobility, dehydration and low cabin pressure. Clots can form during or up to 30 days after travel, most clots dissolve on their own. Oxygen deprivation from the 8,000 ft conditions of a pressurized cabin plus cool, dry air can cause swelling, stagnation of blood flow, Altitude sickness, fatigue and headache.
The best way to combat this is with movement, every 30 minutes if you can.
→Move around the cabin as much as possible.
→Flex your feet, extend your legs and contract your calves while on the flight.
→ Wearing loose, comfortable clothing helps with ease of movement and circulation.
→ Standing and walking as much as you can while at the airport.
→Move whenever you can.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
The effects on your hearing while flying can be quite significant. The occupational safety limit set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and health is 88 db for four hours and 85 db for eight hours. Noise while on a plane can go from 95 db to up to 105 db and even up to 115 db at take off. If you’re concerned, avoid the back of the plane as it is the noisier part of the cabin. Using noise-reducing headphones cuts out about 40 db, bringing the noise to a more healthy level.
This term has been used to describe those who fly regularly for business and are exposed to more radiation than is considered healthy via Cosmic Rays. Being at a higher altitude than at the ground is a huge increase of exposure. 85,000 miles (137,000km) per year exceeds the regulatory limit. That means that commercial aircrews exceed that of nuclear power workers and can be exposed to all the related health problems. On a roundtrip from NYC to Beijing you can easily exceed A 100- microSievert dose that you would get from a chest X-ray. If you worry about those full-body scans, multiply it a few thousand times . Long-term exposure to radiation can cause cellular changes in the body.
How to combat all the bad with the good…
All the potential effects of air travel mentioned may sound really bad and, let’s be honest, they can be. But, if you take some steps to reduce the effect flying has on your well-being and physiology, then you can possibly improve your resilience and overall health when touring. New environments, new time zones and new foods are taxing on the human body. Working long hours while having to deal with fatigue, an upset stomach or just feeling ‘under the weather’ as a result of so much traveling can make our jobs feel much harder than they need to.
Defense is the best offense.
Supplements and more…
→Natural dietary supplements can help by promoting and supporting health while fighting against unwanted symptoms due to travel.
→Taking supplements as an insurance policy against deficiencies developed from lack of good foods.
→When dealing with the effects of motion sickness when flying try 0.5-2 grams of ginger 30 minutes before travel. Use this to avoid the side effects like dry mouth and drowsiness of medications.
→Stress management techniques like meditation or breathing exercises can be beneficial for reducing your cortisol levels.
→Look into easy to use meditation apps like headspace which are great to have right on your smart phone.
→Bad gut? Take Acidophilus (500 million live cells twice a day) to promote a healthy gut biome.
→Sleep Aid. Try a more natural approach like valerian root (200 mg) or melatonin(3 mg) to help you get rest.
→A multivitamin can help maintain a well-balanced diet and to fill in the gaps in your nutrition.
→Boost your immune system by taking between 250-500 mg of vitamin C two to three times daily. Vitamin C is a powerful Antioxidant.
→Echinacea (250 mg for no more than 8 weeks at a time) has been shown to boost the immune system as well and support healthy lungs.
→Vitamin A (3,000-6,000 I.U.’s a day) along with vitamin E play a healthy role in immune system health as well.
→Vitamin D (1,000-4,000 I.U.’s a day) controls the expression of thousands of genes. It regulates the aging process and helps prevent cell damage.
→Pump up your energy levels. Supplement with B-complex to get the benefits of thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, B-6, pantothenic acid, folate, B-12 and biotin. Helps to maintain the health of the nerves, eyes and more which are all heavily effected by traveling.
→Ginseng is an adaptogen, which means that it aids the body’s adjustment to unusual physical and mental stress. It also helps with physical stamina.
→Use your hotel gym if you have access or get outside to run, swim or be active just a bit more than your typical tour load ins and outs.
→No gym? do push ups, sit ups, body squats etc. Regular exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living. It improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases.
→Improve your diet with as many healthy choices as possible. Keep better snacks on you. Carry low sugar versions of trail mix, protein bars, beef jerky etc. Put these types of snacks in your pockets, backpack or luggage.
→Get outside! Get out of the venue, hotel, bus etc. Exposure to sunlight, especially afternoon light can help reduce the effects of jet lag and increase vitamin D levels.
→Upgrade whenever possible for more leg room, comfort, better food and attentive service.
→Visit your physician. Don’t be caught off guard when on the road with health issues that need to be taken care of or could have been dealt with when home.
Play it smart. If you want to feel your best do not underestimate the effects travel can have on your general health and well-being over time.As incredible as this tour life can be, it can have some major negative effects on your overall health if you let it.
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]]>The post Quick tour tip: bus stock, better choices on the road. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
]]>rule #1
Reduce sugar.
rule#2
Avoid processed foods.
rule #3
Eat more protein.
rule #4
Eat healthy carbs and fats.
Let’s face it, if you’re eating crap you’re probably not performing at your optimum level. We really are what we eat. Our body, blood, brain, skin and organs are all a reflection of what we eat on a daily basis. Some effects of our diet are subtle, some more obvious, but all of it affects us. Our energy levels, cognitive abilities and overall mood are all impacted by the things we eat. Food is all too often less about daily nutrition and more about our need to satisfy cravings. Touring is very active by nature but no amount of activity or exercise can combat an overall poor diet.
Variety in nutrition can have many benefits, although successfully maintaining a good healthy diet for most means not over complicating it. Here is a simple guide you can use for eating better on the bus…
Bus stock list:
Breakfast
Instant oatmeal (lowest sugar or none)
Skim milk, almond milk or coconut milk
Whole and egg whites
Whole wheat English muffins
Fat free granola bars
Kashi Go Lean cereal
Cottage cheese
Whole wheat waffles
Berries
Lunch
Tuna packets
Peanut or almond Butter
Jelly (lowest sugar)
Whole wheat bread or pita
Applegate roast beef and turkey breast
Avocado
Hummus
Raw vegetables
Snacks
Greek yogurt (Chobani)
Green apples
Bananas
Grapes
Almonds, walnuts
Protein bar (low sugar like Quest bars)
Beef or turkey jerky
String cheese
Saltine crackers
Pretzels
Dark chocolate (over 70%)
Dinner
Frozen Steamers vegetables
Frozen brown or jasmine rice or quinoa
Grilled chicken breast
Sweet potato
Kashi frozen dinners
Edamame
Flavor– hot sauce and mustard, salsa, cinnamon and olive oil are you flavor friends.
This is a simple list of food that will provide the protein, fiber, carbs and healthy fats you need. There are many more options if you know what to look for, however I suggest keeping it simple at first.
The post Quick tour tip: bus stock, better choices on the road. appeared first on This Tour Life LLC.
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