Vocal Health
Vocal Health
We often take our vocal health for granted until there is a problem. That's why one of my roles as an educator is to teach and preach about vocal health so that singers have a mindset of prevention, rather than live in crisis management.
There's so much mystery when it comes to thinking about the voice because we can't SEE it! So, the first step towards health is to develop an understanding of our anatomy/physiology so that we can cooperate with the voice's optimal function and needs. Secondly, we've got to develop awareness so that when our body is crying out, we can receive the message and respond appropriately.
The benefit?...Longevity and Beauty. Healthy singing sounds better and keeps us singing longer!
Do's
Hydration there's a "friendly" mucus layer that surrounds our vocal folds. This mucus acts as a lubricant and allows our folds to vibrant more easily. Without this lubricant our voices will dry out, which can lead to injury. Staying hydrated ensures the presence of this friendly mucus. Experts recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Additionally, a full glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning relieves night time dehydration.
Daily warm up and cool down warming up gets the blood flowing and engages our body and mind for singing. The warm up is a time to pay attention to our voices and develop awareness and skill. A simple cool down after singing allows our muscles to prepare for regular speaking activity.
Good nutrition/Exercise/Sleep general health effects our vocal health
Rest when you can feel your voice fatiguing, rest! Listen to your body. The voice can tire more easily when we are sick, have allergies, or are just tired in general.
Humidify dry and drafty air can cause vocal irritation. In the dryer winter months, use a humidifier as you sleep and a saline nasal spray daily.
OTC and Prescription Drugs certain drugs like antihistamines are dehydrating. Check labels and talk to your doctor about side effects. Counter-act dehydrating drugs with plenty of water.
Don'ts
Throat Clearing the action of clearing our throats slams the vocal folds together. This can temporarily clear away mucus, however, the effect is damaging: the slamming produces irritation and more mucus.
Whispering a lot! believe it or not, we don't save our voices when we whisper. The vocal folds are happiest when we resonate well, and whispering denies the opportunity for resonance and dries out the vocal folds. It's fine to whisper every once in a while, of course, but if you think you're resting your voice by whispering for hours, you can be causing more harm than good.
Yelling/Talking too Much there are certain environments where yelling is acceptable like sporting events, concerts, or loud parties. Be aware and careful.
Coffee/Alcohol Consumption everything in moderation, as they say! Nothing wrong with a cup/glass or two, but just know that these drinks are dehydrating to the body. Counter-act with water.
Smoking probably the number one damaging habit we could have as singers. Smoking dehydrates the voice and damages throat and lung tissues.
A Word About Vocal Remedies
If you Google "vocal remedies" you'll come up with a long list of ideas and suggestions, many of which may feel soothing. Keep in mind, however, that there is no quick fix for the voice. The best thing we can do for our vocal health is to understand how the voice works and develop the awareness and skill necessary to stay as healthy as possible.