Voice Care For Everyone

 

Speaking is such a routine and natural thing to do that we rarely give our voices any thought. That is, until signs of a vocal problem appear.

In our line of work, we are very aware that anyone can strain their voice, and that voice problems are not the sole preserve of voice professionals. Because of that, in the same way that exercise isn’t just for athletes, voice care isn’t just for singers!

Here are some simple tips that can help you to take better care of your voice, regardless of how you use it.

 

1. Pay attention to the basics

It should be no surprise that helping keep your whole body healthy will help to keep your voice in good shape.

A balanced diet, adequate sleep and regular exercise to support overall health will benefit your voice. For example, physical activity can help to increase your lung capacity and breath control which will have a direct carry-over to vocal endurance.

 

2. Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water is also one of the basics and vital to help keep your vocal cords lubricated which helps to reduce the risk of strain. A glass of water right before you need to speak is not enough though; it takes time for all your cells to hydrate after you drink.

To keep on top of lubricated vocal cords and full-body hydration, make sure to drink at least two litres of water a day (more if it’s hot) days in advance of important performances. It’s important to systemically hydrate your body ahead of performances.

3. Warm up your voice

If you know that you are going to be talking for a long time or louder than usual, it is sensible to warm up your voice, just as you would warm up your body before intense exercise.

There are a huge number of warm up exercises to choose from, but we like lip trills, gentle humming and the straw technique.

 

4. Pay attention to posture

Our voice ultimately comes from our breath, so improving our posture to help our lungs expand fully will have a positive impact on our voice.

5. Be mindful of your environment

One of the situations where we get through the most Vocalzone Pastilles as a team is when we are attending indoor events and tradeshows. These usually take place in heavily air-conditioned halls which lack humidity, and this dry air can be hard on the voice.

Likewise, smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke can irritate the voice.

Funnily enough, Vocalzone was actually first developed in 1907 for the great opera singer Enrico Caruso who was a very heavy smoker and experienced voice issues such as an irritated voice from smoking and excessive singing.

6. Be careful of overuse

Speaking loudly or shouting for long durations will put strain on your voice. Taking regular breaks can help, as can using and adjusting the levels of a microphone if you really need to project your voice. If you have overused your voice however, the best thing you can do is rest it.

You may however come across times where you must weigh out the pros and cons of using your voice for a performance rather than resting. This may happen most around important performances and events in the year where unexpected voice issues occur, regardless of how much preparation you do. At these times, it’s down to you to determine whether the pros outweigh the cons in using your voice (ask yourself: is this performance worth potential long-term vocal damage?)

 

7. Listen to your body

Our bodies are very good at letting us know when something is wrong. If you experience signs of vocal strain, such as throat discomfort or hoarseness, that don’t resolve quickly, it is worth consulting a health care professional. As is often the way, getting on top of problems quickly before they get out of hand can help to prevent more serious issues in the longer term.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With that in mind, our number one piece of advice to anyone experiencing signs of vocal strain is to rest their voice and use it as little as possible. It’s also important to avoid whispering because that can make things worse by placing more strain on the vocal cords.

 

We’re sure you’ll agree that there is nothing ground-breaking about these simple tips, but as is often the way in life, a good grasp of the basics will take you a long way.

Lastly, and as you might expect, we should add that Vocalzone Throat Pastilles and Teas have all been specially formulated to support hardworking voices, something we’ve been doing since 1912.

Invented by ENT surgeon William Lloyd for famous opera singer Enrico Caruso, Vocalzone’s formula helps to support and keep a clear voice by relieving irritation from excessive speaking, singing or smoking.

 

Benefits of using Vocalzone: