Caring for your Voice
Did you know, the average person speaks around 4,300 words a day? We use our voice more often than we realize and it’s easy to forget to take care of what seems to be our most valuable tool.
Here are three very simple guidelines on how to care for your voice:
Drink Water
Drinking water throughout the day is one of the best things you can do to moisten and hydrate your oral cavity and vocal chords. Carry a bottle of water with you at all times so you remember to take a sip every now and then.
The Queen’s Cough
Coughing is natural reflex, but it can also cause a lot of strain and can potentially damage your vocal cords. So what should you do when you feel an itch in your throat? Practice the queen’s cough! It is a gentle method to resist the urge to cough uncontrollably, a combination of a gentle cough and clearing your throat.
Vocal Rest
If your work requires you to use your voice often, it is important for you to take mini-breaks throughout the day to rest your voice. It is exactly what it sounds, resting your voice means refraining from talking as much as possible. If you still need to use your voice, consider using the confidential voice as this puts less strain on your vocal cords than when you are talking in a loud voice.
Now let’s look at what you should avoid in order to protect your voice.
Very cold drinks
When objects get cold they contract. Your body is the same way. When you get cold, you tighten or curl up for warmth. Even though the liquid itself does not touch the vocal folds, cold drinks will cause your vocal folds to tighten. Over time, this can have a harmful effect on your voice.
Smoke
Smoking already has many negative effects on your health. One of those negative effects is on the vocal folds. Smoke can dry out the vocal fold tissues, kill the cells in your throat, create mucus problems, and build tar in your lungs. This can affect the flow of air and the quality of your voice.
Overuse
Vocal folds in the throat vibrate together when sound is produced. Yelling and screaming cause the vocal folds to crash together very aggressively. The harsh contact can cause wear and tear of your vocal folds over time.
Over the counter Throat Sprays
Pain in your throat tells you that there is something wrong. Throat numbing medications such as sprays and syrups temporarily relieve any pain in the throat. The pain may disappear for a while, but the real problem is still there. When you do not feel the pain you may continue to engage in activities that may harm your voice.
Please remember be mindful when participating in any activities that affect your
voice.
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