You wake up Friday morning incredibly early in order to catch that train to New York City for a giant stepping stone audition. Opening your eyes, you realize that something is off. The tickle in your throat you noticed at the bar last night has grown a little stronger than you thought it would. Your head pounds from lack of sleep. Your concentration is thrown off, and you feel dehydrated. How can this possibly be happening on such a big day?

We are actors, meaning we constantly need to be on our A-game when it comes to health. Our body is our instrument and the only tool that is going to help us make it in this incredibly tough industry. We need to constantly take care of our body like it's in "show" mode to keep us at our very best. Between auditions, tech week and managing a social life, it can be hard to stay healthy—and happy—when you want to accomplish it all. Here are a few reminders to keep us from "acting" healthy, but really feeling it.

Don't Feel Slow, Drink H2O

This one seems easy, but it is something that everyone always takes for granted. Drinking water on a constant basis is a wonderful way to stay hydrated and cleanse your system. Water will keep you feeling energized and refreshed all day long. Try to stay away from sugary and dehydrating beverages (i.e. soda and beer) that will dry you out.

Stop: Sleep Time

Another simple rule, but is an essential key to staying healthy. Especially for us community theater folk, we are running between jobs and rehearsals for weeks on end. With commuting, possible school work, and long days, you are bound to get caught up in loosing hours of rest. It is so important to make sure that you aren't running yourself thin with lack of sleep. This special bond between you and your pillow will definitely make a difference in your performance capability.

Skip Margarita Mondays and Wine Wednesdays

This is everyone's nightmare when it comes to performing. While extremely delicious, alcoholic beverages are absolutely terrible for the vocal chords, opening them up and making you acceptable to illness. Granted we all love them, but we need to know our limit. Especially with a big performance coming up, limiting your alcohol choices is super important to keeping your singing (and speaking) voice in check.

Shut Up and Vocal Rest!

Whether you have over a thousand lines like "Hamlet," or need to sing an entire show for two hours straight, vocal rest is a prominent thing to take advantage of. Yes, we all want to have a social life like going to concerts, amusement parks, and loud bars. Although a good choice at the time, the end results can put you on hiatus for a couple of days. Learning when your voice is getting tired and leaving aside rest time from having a personal concert in your car is a must-do for any actor (or 'tress).

Choose the Carrot Stick Over that Cookie

When you have a giant sweet tooth, this is a hard thing to do. Nonetheless, eating better will keep you feeling healthier in the long run. You don't have to diet and eliminate all the bad foods from your life, just moderate them when you can. Instead of picking up a donut for breakfast, try cutting up some fruit and eating it with a bowl of cereal. Feeling healthy doesn't necessarily come out of a smoothie made of kale. It is what you put in your body while your active that will make you feel good in the end.

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Being positive and happy will absolutely effect your health. If you feel down, your body will too. It is much easier to develop an ailment with a negative approach to your week. By making sure you are surrounding yourself with healthy, positive things, you will be doing yourself a favor. Keep smiling and your health will too.