When you sing, your voice is precious but we also need our voices for so much more! Here are 5 ways to look after it.
- Use your voice wisely avoiding extremes. By this I mean extreme shouting, or whispering – the things that put a stress on our voices. If (like me) you’re a mummy, avoid calling out across the house/street/park to the children – talk to them about how you’re going to use your voice and ask them to come to you. As a class teacher, I used to simply wait for quiet when the classroom was too noisy (I sometimes still have to do this at my community choir). This also meant that my stress levels stayed in check. Out and about in noisy bars or restraints can also put unnecessary stress on our voices – ever woken up after a night out with a really sore throat?! Pick your venues wisely.
- If you’re poorly, rest your voice. Watch a movie, sleep or listen to music but rest the temptation to sing along, or to chat to your friends on the phone! Periods of quiet are valuable for good vocal health.
- Breathing is the key to singing – I say this to my clients all the time. But are you aware that breathing is also essential for good speaking? Simple breathing exercises can help maintain a healthy voice in all situations.
- Our posture and the way we hold ourselves can influence our voices! Did you know that cradling a phone to talk can have a detrimental effect on our voices? Make sure if you’re going to be on the phone for a while that you’re sat comfortably with a handset you can hold, or on speaker phone. This eliminates this very simple problem.
- Simple not overusing our voices can help us keep good vocal health. As a teacher, I never said all of the names in the register, I started with one child and they all went along and said good morning to each other using their voices not mine. Think about your words and choose when to use them carefully. Oh, and do stop talking to yourself around the house! Silence is golden…..
How can you implement any of these into your working or singing day?
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