I would have to say that one of the most stressful moments of this year for me as a singer and performer was when I recently got sick the day before a gig. My son actually felt sick the night before and I made him soup. Little did I know that I would be needing the exact same soup for myself the very next day!
I had recently been hired for a church gig and I spent the day before trying to nurse myself back to health and learning the songs for the event. I had a sore throat -which are common for me- and I did what I always know to do to feel better:
Drink tea: My version of tea is water, cut up lemon and honey. Tea doesn't heal your vocal cords or anything but it is soothing going down.
Stay hydrated: Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and keep the vocal folds nice and moist.
Gargle with warm salt water: This is my go to remedy that seems to always help. I like to gargle with warm salt water and also peroxide and water.
Rest: Resting was very difficult for me but I was able to get a little bit of rest. I woke up at 3:30 or 4 the night before the gig so I definitely didn't get as much rest as my body needed.
Some how some way I was feeling so much better the next day of the performance. If you want to see how I nurse myself back to health, then watch the video! And let me know in the comments what your go to remedies are for a sore throat or sickness in general when you have a gig.
xo Shari