Maintain good breath support: Take diaphragmatic breaths (think low belly breaths by breathing in through an imaginary straw or through a wide nose) before speaking and breathe often during speech. Taking a bigger breath will allow you to project your voice without straining or pushing.
Warm up your voice: A good habit to develop is warming up your voice before starting your day. Warming up the vocal mechanism will not only help prevent injury, but can improve the quality of your sound (no kidding!). Just hum….I’ll post an ultra quick and easy daily warm-up soon! Watch for it coming your way.
Rest your voice when tired, sick or sore: Vocal fatigue, soreness and aphonia (losing your voice completely) are all indicators that your voice needs a break. It’s important to listen and respond accordingly by giving your voice the rest it needs.
And what not to do you ask! See below .. . You might not like all of it . Just warning you now.
Clear your throat or cough aggressively: When you cough or clear your throat, you are essentially banging the vocal cords together in an attempt to remove an irritant. If done the wrong way, throat clearing and coughing can lead to vocal injury. Healthy alternatives to a hard throat clear include swallowing, taking a sip of water or using a more gentle, light throat clear (think of the type of throat clear you use when trying to get someone’s attention in a subtle way).
Speak to the end of your breath: This occurs when you attempt to say too much or sing too much on one breath and run out of air by the last few words. By the end of the sentence or phrase in order to continue voicing, you must squeeze and press. This habit can lead to vocal fatigue and soreness.
Shout or scream excessively: Avoid yelling when there is an alternative way of communicating. Instead of calling across the house, walk to the person and speak at a normal volume. (Yes Criselda, I’m talking to you!)
Eat, drink or smoke substances that are damaging to your voice: Minimize coffee and alcohol intake as they both lead to dehydration. Avoiding spicy food and fried/fatty foods is a good place to start if your voice is often hoarse. These types of food can lead to acid reflux (heartburn) which can irritate and damage the vocal folds. Finally, inhaling any kind of smoke should be avoided when possible, in order to maintain optimal voice health.
Happy New Year everyone and take good care of your voice – it’s the only one you have!
COMING SOON – quick easy morning vocal warm-ups
