Unlocking Vocal Health: Essential Tips for Voice Care

4/12/2024

Ah! The sounds of the season! No, I'm not talking about the holiday music you hear everywhere now. I'm talking about the sniffling, sneezing, and coughing! Whether it's seasonal allergies, a cold, COVID, the flu, or another virus, or whether you are healthy now and just want to know how to take care of your voice, you are in the right place – the doctor is in!

Your voice, whether you are a singer or not, is very important to you. You need it to talk to friends, family, and others, answer questions in class, make presentations, sing along with your favorite song, cheer on your sports team to victory, and more. So, how do you take care of your voice? Here are a few of the best ways.

1. Keep it hydrated! One of the first things you need for your body in general and for your voice is drinking plenty of fluids. This is also one of the first things they will tell you when you are sick. Water is the best thing for your voice. It won't coat your vocal cords, like thicker and sugary liquids will do. Things like milk (a thicker liquid) will coat the vocal cords, which causes your body to salivate more and produce mucus, which works to clear the vocal cords. Soda (a sugary and carbonated liquid) will also cover the vocal cords encouraging salivation and mucus production, and, in addition, will promote burping (which also poses problems for singers). Herbal teas are also at the top of the list. Ideally, the liquids should be warm, at room temperature, not too cold or too hot. (See – Goldilocks was smart – except for the breaking!)

2. Warm up your voice before using it a lot! If you are going to be doing more talking than usual, talking louder to a group, singing, or another activity needing your voice, do some warm-ups to prepare. It doesn't need to be long or overly complicated. Humming is a great, and gentle, warm-up to do as it won't stress your voice.

3. Rest your voice after a lot of use! Again, just as your body cannot go for days on end without sleep, your voice will not keep going without rest. Especially if you have used your voice a lot, or have done a lot of screaming, cheering, singing, or talking, you need to give your voice a chance to take it easy and rest. This is a great time to read (not out loud), binge your favorite show or movie on a streaming service, or rest like a nap or sleeping.

One final note that I'll leave with you. I tell all my new students this early and often in their voice lessons. Singing should NEVER hurt! You might feel weird, and outside your comfort zone at times, but it should NEVER hurt! If your throat is sore, or hurts, that pain is there for a reason – to tell you and your body to keep your throat hydrated and give it some rest. Listen to your body! You only get one voice in your lifetime, so take care of it, and it will be there for you!

If you want to learn more about our course offerings at the Music & Language Learning Center, schedule a free consultation with us today!