Ed Sheeran’s touring habits have changed radically in past 10 years

Ed Sheeran’s post-show routine has radically changed over the past 10 years.

In his twenties, the Bad Habits singer used to go out drinking and stay out late after a show every night on tour, but in recent years, he has started to be more mindful of his health and wellbeing.

During a cover interview with Men’s Health magazine, the 34-year-old shared that he rewatched the 2015 concert documentary Jumpers for Goalposts: Live at Wembley Stadium and felt like he was observing a completely different person.

“I played three nights in a row (at Wembley) and each morning I’m getting interviewed and they’re like, How was last night? And I was like, ‘Oh, I was out until 6am doing tequila shots and smoking cigarettes with this person and doing this and that,'” he recalled. “Then I’d play a show and it was that seven days a week. But when you watch it and you look at me now, I look 40 in that and I look 24 now.”

While he can sometimes be convinced to go out for a drink after a show, Sheeran knows that he’ll pay for it the next day, so he usually goes back to his hotel to eat, have a massage and go to bed to put him in a good position for the next show.

“You just want to go to bed or go for a drink with your mates or whatever, but if you don’t do it (the massage), you’re just f**ked the next day,” he explained. “I can be a guy who can be led quite easily and if I finish a gig and my mates are there, I could go out. So actually having to be in my hotel room… I get the massage and, as soon as the massage is done, I need to go to bed. So it’s great for maintaining my voice, maintaining energy and keeping healthy.”

The Thinking Out Loud singer wrapped up his long-running Mathematics Tour in September and started his next trek, the Loop Tour, in December. The tour resumes in New Zealand later this month and continues until November.