This spring, I’ve been doing weekly coaching sessions with Zoom Adam Roberts, a voice coach, in addition to working with singers, also helps high-performance thought leaders and CEOs strengthen their voices in a healthy and sustainable way. Vocabulary training, a science-based and voice-based science exam, offers you unique opportunities to learn how to take care of your voice.
We get to the details, but first: why do we need to pay more attention to the health of our voice? Robertss says vocal health is not for professional voices like singers and actors. He says: “Even for people who don’t trust their voices much from a professional standpoint, their vocal cords can vibrate hundreds of thousands of times a day! It goes on and on, so it’s important to keep the voice mechanism healthy. ”
We have all experienced temporary roughness from time to time, but according to researchers Cleveland Clinic, Nearly 20% of the U.S. population has some form of chronic voice dysfunction.
And in intensive voice jobs like school teachers, that number is even higher. As someone who uses her voice a lot, both personally (as my husband will check, haha) and professionally, I would love to keep mine as clear, expressive, and effortless as possible! Good news? Many of the things we can do to keep our voice higher are generally the same things that help keep our minds and bodies healthy.
So, are you thinking about how to take care of your voice? Read Roberts ’recommendations for practical lifestyles and tools we can use to instantly strengthen our voice health.
5 to 1
Do: Stay hydrated
It is H20 incredibly important proper and long-term maintenance of the voice. If you’re a teacher, a clergyman, a little league coach, or anyone else who can use your voice to a greater extent than most, consider investing in a personal inhaler. Steam provides a more direct path than water to the vocal cords in a liquid way (which is also very important!);
No: Shout
While it may be tempting to cheer on your favorite band under Friday night lights, the fun shouldn’t cause any rudeness (or, worse, a complete loss of voice). At your own pace, help your voice and try to “call” instead, as if you’re echoing on a mountain. Avoiding harsh sounds and excessive “screams” will ensure that you can be a lifelong fan, not just for a season.
5 to 2
Do: Pay attention to flexibility
Literally! Remember that the health of the voice does not stop inside the throat; it is a full-body proposition. People often ask me “If I could do something to improve my voice, what would it be?” My answer? Yoga – or another physical practice that promotes the connection between flexibility and breathing. You can delve deeper into a particular practice I use with called clients Alexander Technique, here.
No: Shallow Breathe
It’s really amazing to take a few breaks throughout the day low and deep breathing can do. We want to avoid clavicular breathing – breathing with a high participation of the ascending and descending shoulder – as much as possible. At the beginning of each day, give thirty seconds to look in the mirror and support breathing which arise from your abdomen instead of your upper chest. Keep your shoulders in the mirror to make sure they don’t give you extra movement in the process.
5 to 3
Do it: your time to rest your voice
Interestingly, some recent research suggests new considerations for acute rest or voice rest after voice surgery. For day-to-day maintenance, it’s always a good idea to plan short voice breaks when you talk about several long meetings or many other situations during the day. For example, it’s a good idea for teachers to try to use planning periods while they get to work resting their voices, especially when these “stops” occur during the school day.
No: burn
It probably goes without saying, but tobacco is no-no for the health of the vocal mechanism (and the rest of the body, of course).
The pills are great! I love Fontus dry mouth cakes, Developed by my friend and colleague Kailtin Hopkins, a musical theater performer and head of the Texas State University music theater program. Kaitlin came up with the idea for the pills because of the dry mouth symptoms experienced by a family member with Parkinson’s disease and is now used by interpreters and speakers around the world.
Do: Try a personal Steam Inhaler
As I mentioned earlier, a personal steam inhaler is a great tool to have on hand, especially if you are a professional voice user. These come in a variety of price ranges, sizes and a wide range of hand or desktop options. This is one I would recommend it.
5 out of 5
Do: Practice self-awareness
In terms of voice, awareness is the best tool to keep your self-care tool in the box. Find out in what situations your voice feels particularly tired. Tune in to situations that tempt you to shout, scream, or shout, and make plans to ward off that temptation. When do you feel particularly tense? This tension is likely to affect your voice in a big way too. Adding awareness to the guitar of the day will greatly benefit your voice!
*** Thank you Adam for sharing these tips on caring for your voice and stay tuned for more of his vocabulary tips. Next: how to talk confidently.
