Vocal Health: Top Tips for Looking After Your Voice

If you played an instrument, you’d look after it. You’d clean and polish it and ensure it was in perfect condition for every performance.

As a vocalist, your voice is your instrument, and it deserves the same level of attention you’d give any other instrument.

Look after your voice, and you’ll always be able to give your best performance. Check out our top tips for maintaining excellent vocal health…

Don’t Neglect Your Warm-up Exercises

It only takes a few minutes to perform some vocal warm-up exercises, but when you’re eager to sing a particular song, it can be tempting to neglect the warm-up process.

However, warming up your voice properly really can make a difference to the quality of your voice, and it can also help protect your jaw muscles from becoming strained.

Drink Lots of Water

Perhaps the most important factor in good vocal health is hydration.

Dehydration can cause irritation to your vocal cords which will affect your performance and could result in longer lasting adverse effects.

So be sure to drink plenty of water as part of your daily routine.

Increasing your water intake has many health benefits, so it’s a great habit to get into in general.

Sipping water between songs when you’re performing will also help to lubricate your throat and stop it from feeling dry, particularly if you’re standing under hot stage lighting, so don’t forget to take a bottle on stage with you.

Quit the Bad Habits

Smoking can cause a wealth of health issues, several of which can impact your voice.

If you’re a smoker, quitting can be tough, but there are so many benefits to giving up.

You’ll have a healthier heart, a longer life, more energy, and a better singing voice! If you’re struggling to quit, help is out there.

Take a look at the NHS Quit Smoking website for practical advice and support.

Your voice can also be affected by caffeine and alcohol as they both cause dehydration, and an excess of alcohol may also adversely affect your ability to sing in tune!

So keep your consumption to a minimum, particularly before a performance.

Instead, you could opt for a cup of hydrating herbal tea. Consider camomile to relax your nerves, or peppermint to help you focus.

Avoid Dry Environments

Dry air can cause problems with your throat and vocal cords.

If your throat often feels dry and scratchy, or you find your breath is more laboured, it could be that the air around you is too dry.

This can be a common problem in our modern, highly insulated and well-heated homes.

Consider using a humidifier to add extra moisture into the air and make sure your home is well-ventilated so it doesn’t become too stuffy.

Don’t Overdo It or Push Your Limits Too Far

It can be tempting to practise pretty much continually before a big performance, or when you’re learning a new song, but it’s important not to overdo it.

Vocal strain is real and you certainly don’t want to lose your voice just before you’re due to perform!

So take regular rests, and don’t sing for hours on end.

If you’re feeling at all unwell, if your throat feels sore, you have a cough or your voice is hoarse, then take time out to rest and heal.

Pay close attention to how you feel and how you sound.

Look out for the warning signs and react quickly to protect your vocal health.

You should also be careful of pushing your limits too far.

Of course, it’s good to challenge yourself, to extend your range or experiment with a different vocal style, but if you’ve decided to start singing screaming heavy metal, you might just want to take it a little slowly.

Be kind to your voice!

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

A tired body and mind can lead to a tired voice.

When you get plenty of sleep you’ll be more energised, and more focused, and the quality of your voice will improve.

If you have trouble sleeping, make sure your room is conducive to a good night’s sleep, not too hot or cold, dark and quiet.

Try to avoid using your mobile phone late at night and consider learning some relaxing meditation techniques.