Drink up! (and more tips for great vocal health)
A special part of last week's rehearsal was a review by our director on how to maintain great vocal health. Considering the body as an instrument, Ray covered the physical mechanics of voice production. The condensed version to maintaining a strong voice:
Your voice isn’t magic. It’s not mysterious. It’s a physical system, powered by breath, shaped by muscles, and deeply affected by how you treat your body. Whether you’re a teacher, singer, parent, coach, or just someone who talks a lot, your voice works hard for you every day—and it needs care to stay strong. The two most overlooked pillars of vocal health? Breathing and hydration. Master those, and you’re already halfway to a healthier, more reliable voice.
Breath: The Fuel Your Voice Can’t Live Without
Most people talk from their throat. It works—until it doesn’t. Over time, relying on throat tension instead of breath support leads to fatigue, hoarseness, and in some cases, vocal damage. But the good news is, your body is built to speak and sing with ease. You just have to get out of its way. Breath support starts in the diaphragm—a dome-shaped muscle below your lungs. When you breathe in properly, your belly should expand, not your chest. That low, grounded breath gives you the power to speak and sing without strain. But most of us, especially under stress or when sitting for long periods, start breathing high and shallow. That creates tension, reduces vocal control, and wears out your voice.
Try this:
- Sit or stand tall.
- Inhale slowly through your nose and let your belly rise.
- Exhale on a gentle “sss” sound, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
Notice the steady collapse of the belly, and the resistance to simply fall. That’s what supported sound feels like.
Incorporating a few minutes of breath-focused warm-ups each day—even just lip trills, hums, or light “ng” sounds—can help retrain your body to work more efficiently. The goal isn’t volume. It’s ease.
Hydration: Lubrication from the Inside Out
Your vocal folds are delicate tissue that vibrate together thousands of times a minute when you talk or sing. For them to do that safely, they need to be well-lubricated—and not just on the surface. Sipping water during rehearsal or a meeting is great, but real vocal hydration starts hours before you need your voice.
Think of hydration as maintenance, not a quick fix. By the time your throat feels dry, your vocal folds are already running low. Make water a steady habit throughout the day—not just when you’re about to perform.
Tips for better hydration:
- Aim for 6–8 glasses of water daily, more if you're active or talk a lot.
- Use a humidifier, especially in winter or dry climates.
- Don’t rely on throat lozenges with menthol—they feel soothing, but they can actually dry out tissue and mute the body's response to worsening issues.
- Juices with natural pectin (like apple or pear juice) may help coat the throat gently, but they’re no substitute for water.
- Caffeine and alcohol cause dehydration and could be timed around rehearsal and performance, along with some medications that might need to be hydrated beyond suggested averages. The key is balance—and listening to how your body responds.
Your Voice Ages—Let It, But Support It
Your voice isn’t static. Hormones, muscle tone, posture, sleep, stress, and illness all affect how it functions. Over time, vocal folds may thin, lose flexibility, or take longer to warm up. That’s normal. But staying hydrated and using healthy breath support can help preserve vocal strength and prevent unnecessary wear. Aging doesn’t have to mean losing your voice. It just means adapting. More warm-up time, gentler technique, and consistent care can keep your voice expressive and strong well into later life.
What to Avoid (And What to Replace It With)
Some everyday habits cause more vocal strain than people realize:
- Throat clearing is one of the worst. It slams the vocal folds together unnecessarily. Instead, swallow, take a sip of water, or hum gently to relieve the urge.
- Yelling from your throat is another big one. If you regularly raise your voice—for kids, coaching, teaching—learn to project from your breath and body, not your throat. Think of the sound bouncing forward off your cheekbones or forehead, not just pushed out from your neck.
- Slouching while working, driving, or scrolling compresses your lungs and vocal tract, making breathing shallow and support weaker. Try to realign: feet grounded, spine tall, chest open. It doesn’t have to be rigid—just open.
The Little Things Matter
Vocal health isn’t about perfection. It’s about attention. A few small daily habits—like breathing with intention, drinking enough water, sitting up straighter, warming up gently—can radically improve how your voice feels and sounds. And it’s worth it. Your voice is a powerful tool to express who you are. It communicates not just words, but tone, emotion, personality, and presence.
So take care of it. Give it fuel. Give it water. Don’t wait until your voice is hoarse or worn out to start treating it well.
