Sometimes it’s difficult to control the environment you find yourself in but when your surroundings are in your control you must take care to avoid things that will damage your voice. If you can help it don’t expose your voice to excessive pollution and dehydrating agents: cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, alcohol, caffeine, dry air. Instead:

• keep the air and your body clean and humid: drink 8-10 cups (2 liters) of non-caffeinated beverages daily — more if you exercise. This takes planning and discipline but you’ll see the results.

• if possible maintain 30% humidity in the air.

• quit smoking!

Finally — and you’re mother knew what she was talking about here — do not slouch or adopt unbalanced postures when you are using your voice extensively. This reduces the volume of the chest cavity and promotes shallow breathing from the upper chest, which in turn puts unnecessary strain on your voice. Instead:

• learn and use good posture and alignment habits.

Summary:
Maintain a healthy environment for your voice by:
- keeping the air and your body clean and humid
- maintaining 30% humidity in the air, if possible
- quitting smoking
- learning and using good posture and alignment habits

To engage in more heavy lifting without a period of recuperation would be crazy. You’d end up with a back injury, possibly one you won’t get over for many months or years.

Often people don’t realize that exactly the same principle applies to the voice. If you’ve been straining your voice, or over-using it, you must ensure that you don’t keep pushing it. Instead:

• allow for several periods of voice rest throughout the day. If you’re out and about this might mean turning your cell phone off for an hour (trust me, the world will keep on turning). If you’re a teacher it might mean organizing an activity that allows you to rest your voice for a period. Spend some time figuring out what you might do to work a rest period into your day.

It is especially important to avoid using your voice extensively or strenuously when you are sick or when you feel tired. Don’t try to be a hero. Instead:

• rest your voice with your body: it is sick, too!

It’s not always easy to spot but it’s vital not use your voice when it feels strained. Instead:

• learn to be sensitive to the first signs of vocal fatigue: hoarseness, throat tension, dryness. With experience and careful observation you will become more able to recognize these symptoms and more aware of the limitations of your voice.

Sometimes it can be tempting to adopt a “show must go on” attitude. Life is busy and you have commitments to keep and targets to meet, but there’s one thing that will grind the show to a halt, and that’s a badly damaged voice. Do not ignore prolonged symptoms of vocal strain: hoarseness, throat pain, fullness, heartburn, or allergies. Instead:

• consult your doctor if you experience throat symptoms or voice change for more than ten days.

Tune in for more voice care essentials next week.

Summary:
– Allow for several periods of voice rest throughout the day
– When sick rest your voice with your body!
– Learn to be sensitive to the first signs of vocal fatigue
– Consult your doctor if you experience throat symptoms or voice change for more than ten days

Perhaps you’re a professional voice user who is not so daring though. Perhaps you take great care not to abuse your voice. Well, this post is for you because there are still a bunch of things that may well be damaging your voice without you even knowing it.

The following is a list of seven much more subtle behaviours and habits that can cause terrible damage to your voice — take care to avoid them.

1. Do not talk in a low-pitched, monotone voice. Do not allow your vocal energy to drop so low that the sound becomes rough and gravelly (“glottic fry”). Instead:

• keep your voice powered by breath flow, so the tone carries, varies, and rings
• allow your vocal pitch to vary as you speak.

2. Do not hold your breath as you are planning what to say. Avoid tense vocal onsets (“glottal attacks”). Instead:

• keep your throat relaxed as you begin speaking
• use breathing muscles and airflow to start speech phrases
• use coordinated voice onset.

3. Do not speak beyond a natural breath cycle: avoid squeezing out the last few words of the thought with insufficient breath power. Instead:

• speak slowly, pausing often at natural phrase boundaries, so your body can breathe naturally.

4. Do not tighten your upper chest, shoulders, neck, and throat to breathe in, or to push sound out. Instead:

• allow your body to stay aligned and relaxed so breathing is natural
• allow your abdomen and rib cage to move freely.

5. Do not clench your teeth or tense your jaw or tongue. Instead:

• keep your upper and lower teeth separated
• let your jaw move freely during speech
• learn specific relaxation exercises.

6. Avoid prolonged use of unconventional vocal sounds: whispering, growls, squeaks, imitations of animal or machine noises. Instead:

• if you must talk in any such ways, use a soft vocal tone instead of a loud, harsh whisper
• if you must produce specific vocal effects for performance, make sure you are using a technique that minimizes muscle tension and vocal abuse.

7. When you sing, do not force your voice to stay in a register beyond its “flexibility limit.” Flexibility must be practiced safely. Especially, do not force your chest voice too high and do not force your head voice high into falsetto range. Instead:

• allow vocal registers to change smoothly
• consult your singing teacher or speech-language pathologist to learn healthy techniques for smooth register transitions.

Summary:
To avoid misusing your voice
- Do not talk in a low-pitched, monotone voice
- Do not hold your breath as you are planning what to say
- Do not speak beyond a natural breath cycle
- Do not tighten your upper chest, shoulders, neck, and throat to breathe in, or to push sound out
- Do not clench your teeth or tense your jaw or tongue
- Avoid prolonged use of unconventional vocal sounds
- When you sing, do not force your voice to stay in a register beyond its “flexibility limit.”

Do not try to address large audiences without proper amplification. You should be able to lecture at a comfortable loudness to be heard in any situation. Instead:

• use a microphone for public speaking
• learn good microphone technique.

Do not sing beyond your comfortable range. Instead:

• know your physical limits for pitch and loudness seek professional vocal training
• always use an adequate monitoring system to guide your voice use during performance
• never sing a high note that you cannot sing quietly.

Avoid nervous habits of public speaking that are vocally abusive: throat-clearing; breath-holding; speaking quickly; speaking on insufficient breath; speaking with a low, monotone pitch; speaking with aggressive or low-pitched fillers (um … ah …). Instead:

• ask someone to point out any vocal habits you may be unaware of
• monitor your use of these habits
• learn strategies for effective public speaking.

Do not speak extensively during strenuous physical exercise. Instead:

• avoid loud and aggressive vocal grunts
• after aerobic exercise, do not speak until your breathing system can accommodate optimal voice production.

Summary:
To avoid voice abusing your voice
– Do not try to address large audiences without proper amplification
– Do not sing beyond your comfortable range
– Avoid nervous habits of public speaking that are vocally abusive
– Do not speak extensively during strenuous physical exercise

So many people make the mistakes I’m about to describe without even realizing it. The good news is that most of these people, once they’ve become aware of the ways in which they’re unwittingly abusing their voices, are able to take steps to correct bad habits and tendencies, and to learn how to handle their voices properly as they find themselves in different circumstances.

Without further ado here is the first of two blog posts that will cover the most common ways in which people abuse their voices, as well as measures you can take to ensure that you are protecting your own voice.

Do not clear your throat or cough habitually. Instead:

• sniff and swallow
• yawn to relax your throat
• swallow slowly; drink some water
• hum, concentrating on sensations of vocal resonance.

Do not yell, cheer, or scream habitually. Instead:

• use non-vocal sounds to attract attention: clap, whistle, ring a bell, blow a horn
• find non-vocal ways to train or discipline children and pets.

Avoid prolonged talking over long distances and outside. Instead:

• move closer so you can be heard without yelling
• learn good vocal projection techniques.

Avoid talking in noisy situations: over loud music, office equipment, noisy classrooms, or public places, and in cars, buses, and airplanes. Instead:

• reduce background noise in your daily environment
• always face the people you are talking to
• position yourself close to your listener
• wait until students or audience members are quiet and attentive
• find non-vocal ways to elicit attention.

In the next post I will be exploring four more ways in which people abuse their voices, and ways in which you can avoid them.

Summary:
To avoid voice abusing your voice
– Do not clear your throat or cough habitually
– Do not yell, cheer, or scream habitually
– Avoid prolonged talking over long distances and outside
– Avoid talking in noisy situations: over loud music, office equipment, noisy classrooms, or public places, and in cars, buses, and airplanes.

Continued in Part Two.

They tell me that before and during the performance they were in perfect vocal shape. They warmed up properly and performed with ease. But now, seemingly out of the blue, they are experiencing strain or even loss of voice. What happened?

In most cases what happened was they left their performance on a high and had a good time with their fellow performers at a post-performance dinner or party. They ate till late in the night, talking and laughing, having a drink or two, and inhaling second-hand smoke.

When they got up the next morning, their voice squeaked and scraped because of lack of sleep. Their throats were dry because of caffeine or alcohol intake, or from breathing in dust or smoke at the post-performance gathering. And their voices were tired because of all the talking and laughing they did the night before.

At this point it starts adding up for them.

In fact, when people talk during most parties, they are actually yelling. They would realize this if the music was suddenly turned off and everyone else stopped talking. They would see that they were unconsciously raising their voice above the background noise in order to be heard. This alone can cause damage to the larynx and neck muscles.

Now don’t get me wrong — I’m not suggesting you become a monk or nun and avoid all celebrations after you speak or sing. But watching what you eat, drink, and breathe, avoiding excessive voice use, and getting a good night’s sleep will keep you on-stage and in excellent shape.

Be sure to check the next post for some specific pointers that will go along way to protecting you from abusing or misusing your voice.

Summary:
– When you have voice problems “out of the blue,” stop and think. Are these symptoms really out of the blue? Which of the trigger-conditions listed above might you have been exposed to?

– If you suffer from post-performance syndrome, consider adjusting your post-performance habits. See next week’s blog post for more details.

Many performers go to bed late and get up late.

That’s understandable. It’s difficult for them to go to bed early and rise early on a regular basis because most of their performances are late in the evening. Besides, it can take several hours for their adrenaline to drop after their performance is over.

If you find yourself in this position, don’t worry – late to bed and late to rise can work for you well as long as you’re consistent.

Most people require six to eight hours of sleep a night for their body to heal and rehabilitate itself. This is where it is important to remember that you are a vocal athlete. Your voice needs restorative rest every bit as much as a marathon runner’s muscles and cardiovascular system do.

In a future blog post I’ll talk about the dangers to the voice of after-performance celebrations.

Summary:
–Ensure that you are getting good sleep
–Make sure you get six to eight hours of sleep a night, regardless of when you go to bed
–Keep your sleep patterns as consistent as possible

The word “diet” can mean a lot of things. When I use the term I am talking not so much about the number of calories you should consume daily. That’s important, and so is eating balanced meals. Rather, I am talking about foods and liquids you should avoid, and particular times when they should be avoided:

• Foods and drinks with caffeine. (See my last post for more on caffeine.) These foods dry your system. Keep in mind that water is the best option. I like to refer to it as the elixir of vocal health. Remember, if your urine comes out yellow, you are dehydrated.

• Alcoholic drinks. These also dry out the voice and are best avoided. Beyond that, consuming alcohol before or after a performance is problematic in the following four ways:

– It is addictive. It will be all too easy for you to begin to depend on a drink to get yourself onstage. That may help you for a while, but in the end it will damage your performance.

– It engorges the blood vessels of the throat and vocal cords, which will render your tone harsh.

– It will interfere with your sleep patterns if consumed within two hours of bedtime.

– If taken shortly before bedtime alcohol can rise from the stomach up to the esophagus and onto the larynx, burning the vocal folds.

• Heavy meals. Eaten less than two hours before bedtime, heavy meals can cause the same problem as just described regarding alcohol.

Summary:

To “fuel” your vocal system optimally:
– Avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine
– Avoid drinking alcohol before a performance, after a performance, and shortly before bedtime
– Avoid eating heavy meals — especially fewer than two hours before bedtime

No Olympic athlete would attempt to compete without first taking onboard the right amount of fluid. As a vocal athlete you must take a similar approach, drinking a minimum of two liters of water a day.

Ensuring that you meet your daily water quota is important, but equally important is the way you meet it. Don’t think you can gulp down large quantities of water in short spaces of time. It’s not that easy.

If you drink too much water at once, most of it will pass out through the kidneys. (Next time you’re watching athletics, or a basketball game, note that the athletes do not chug their way through entire bottles of fluid at once. In fact they seem to spit out more than they take in; but that’s another story.)

It works better if you sip water; that way more of it will be absorbed into your body.

Why is hydration so important? Think of how oil lubricates the pistons of a car engine so they can move up and down with minimal wear and tear to the engine. Similarly, the mucous that covers your throat and larynx allows your vocal cords to move together, back and forth, and to create the mucosal wave that gives suppleness to your tone.

It takes two liters of water to help the body create the three cc’s of mucous needed each day to lubricate the vocal cords. When you drink the right amount of water you have enough saliva to lubricate your mouth, and enough mucous for the mucosal membrane that lubricates your throat and vocal cords.

But be careful: Not all drinks are good for hydration. For example, tea and coffee should not be relied upon for hydration because they are diuretics. The caffeine they contain will make you urinate more frequently, causing you to lose water from your system. Worse, the acid they produce in the stomach can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease.

How do you know if you are adequately hydrated? I tell patients to drink enough water to make their urine white (or in medical parlance, until they “pee pale”). If you’re seeing a darker yellow, you’re not drinking enough.

Summary:
– Drink two litters of water a day
– Always sip water to allow your body to absorb the water better
– When hydrating avoid diuretics like tea and coffee
– Look out for the warning signs that you are dehydrated, such as dark yellow urine

A voice user is essentially a vocal athlete. Let me explore this analogy for a moment.

This year’s Vancouver Winter Olympic Games were a wonderful sporting spectacle, with the USA, Germany, and Canada claiming most of the medals. But nobody thinks for a second that those medalists earned a place on the podium just by showing up on the day. What did they do to prepare?

They:

• trained regularly
• watched what they ate and drank
• stretched before and after competing
• got enough sleep
• learned about the limitations of their own bodies
• All these factors and more meant that the bodies of these medal-winning athletes held out even when pushed to their limits.

Whether you are a singer, a teacher, a lawyer, or simply a parent with lively kids, you must understand that you are a vocal athlete.

As a vocal athlete, you can’t just expect your voice to “turn up on the day.” You need to prepare and maintain your voice correctly so that it is able to hold out when pushed beyond its normal capabilities.

In my next few blog posts I will be unpacking this idea some more, and will be exploring the why and how of good voice care. I’ll be providing you with some key voice care tips that will help you keep your voice as healthy as possible.