Kenny Chesney is speaking out on how he takes care of his mental health.
During this year’s Tortuga Music Festival, the 55-year-old country singer opened up about the topic of mental health to Audacy’s Katie Neal.
Heat, Ice, And Breath Work
Neal prompted the conversation by mentioning Audacy’s “I’m Listening” mental health initiative. She then asked the “Everyone She Knows” singer what he does to maintain his mental health.
Chesney responded that using an ice tub has been beneficial for keeping his mental health in a good place.
“The best thing, this is hard, and I’ve got it right outside my bus. I sit in an ice tub. I’ve been doing it for years,” Chesney said.
“My friend, a pro surfer, the guy that invented standup paddling in Hawaii, his name is Laird Hamilton. And Laird taught me how to do heat and ice and [how to] do breath work. So that’s what I do for my brain. And it’s interesting how you can work out a lot for your body, but you got to work your brain out too. And you’ve got to… and that’s how I breathe. I try really hard to change the pH of my blood and oxygen does that. Yeah. And ice… ice is hard,” he added.
When asked how long he typically sits in the ice tub, Chesney revealed he’s “working [his] way up” and is currently at “a minute and a half.”
Chesney also said sitting in the ice tub is a great distraction because “you’re not thinking about anything else.”
“It’s the best anti-depressant, the best antianxiety medicine you can take,” the “Everyone She Knows” singer said. “Because I promise you, when you’re sitting in that thing full of ice, you’re not thinking about anything else. Anything else other than being in there.”
Social Anxiety
Kenny Chesney’s conversation with Neal isn’t the first time he’s stressed the importance of prioritizing his mental health.
During this year’s Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, the 55-year-old singer admitted he doesn’t enjoy being in the spotlight as a celebrity and values keeping his personal life private. Kenny Chesney says the decision to keep his personal life private was the result of social anxiety he experienced following success early on in his career.
“One of the reasons I’m so private is when my life started to change, and people started caring at a different level, the only thing I could keep to myself was the intimate details of my life….,” Chesney told Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton, who moderated a panel session at the event. “… That changed a lot. What is interesting is we were playing stadiums already, and after that …. I didn’t have social anxiety before that, [but] then you add our success, and then you add that to your life, and you have a little bit of social anxiety.”
Earlier in the session, Chesney admitted he doesn’t “feel comfortable going down that road” when it comes to his personal life.
“I just don’t feel comfortable going down that road,” the country singer admitted. “[I] work really hard to be this person, and I want to keep some sort of dignity and integrity intact and not feel like I’m selling my soul to get higher in the consumption chart.”
Despite being so adamant about keeping his personal life private, Chesney acknowledged that “some things are fair game.”
I Go Back Tour
On the musical side of his career, Kenny Chesney recently wrapped up his I Go Back Tour, which kicked off in March.
Chesney will also headline the Gulf Coast Jam and Carolina Country Music Fest in June. Kenny Chesney is filling in for fellow country singer Morgan Wallen who is on doctor-ordered vocal rest.
To see a full list of Kenny Chesney’s upcoming tour dates and festival appearances, visit his official website HERE.
