Hello Sensational Speaker,

Winter season can be tough on our speaking voice; cold weather, germs, and end-of-the-year stress can leave us feeling worn out. Even talking at a loud holiday party can wear out our voice!

Here are 10 healthy ways you can protect your voice for this season and all year long:          

Your Vocal Health Checklist 

with Voice Coach Jessica Neighbor

1. Listen to your body cues: Your physical voice will start “talking” to you if you over use it. Listen to the areas of your body related to your voice: your vocal cords, jaw, throat, neck, lungs, and abdominal muscles. Here are a few vocal strain warning signs:

• Constant sore throat.
• Constant hoarse voice 
• Excessive throat clearing.
• Constant dry throat.
• Leakage (No sound on certain notes/extra breathy).
• Your voice feels chronically tired to sing or speak in general.
• If you are experiencing acute or ongoing vocal pain, you should seek out medical advice from an ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist) or a Medical Speech Pathologist.

2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! Your voice and entire body will thank you for drinking enough water. The daily recommended water intake is 8 cups of water a day, (8 ounces per cup). Try these H20 tips to make sure you stay hydrated:

1. Fill up a large water bottle that can hold 64 ounces (8 cups) and sip away, one and done.
2. Drink one glass of water when you wake up, and one glass with your 3 meals, and you are halfway there!
3. Tea and drinks with electrolytes count, the less sugar the better, and fruits and veggies hydrate as well.
4. Squirt a little lemon or lime in your water for more flavor.

3. Use Proper Vocal Technique: Learn good vocal technique including good posture, full breath support, and basic vocal anatomy so you understand the mechanics of your voice.  

4. Sleep: Your voice needs daily rest, so when you feel tired, your voice will feel tired too. Try to sleep 7-9 hours each night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule for your voice and your general health.

5. Pace & recharge your voice: You can wear out your voice by yelling and excessive talking. Think of your voice like a battery, it only holds so much charge before you should rest and recharge every day. This is why professional singers and speakers learn tricks to pace their voices like:

1. Only speak as long as you feel good. Once your voice fatigues, you should stop if possible. 
2. When practicing a speech or presentation, you can “mark” your speech instead of using your full voice every run through. 
3. Give yourself quiet rest times every day.
4. Balance your day with some calming non-verbal activities like drawing, reading, or crafts.

6. Avoid speaking frequently with a sore throat: If you are sick and have a sore throat, avoid speaking too much until your acute soreness goes away. Speaking with a light head cold can work as long as you go easy and stay hydrated because colds dehydrate our vocal cords. Take extra care if your voice has been affected by Covid or a Respiratory Virus. It can take several weeks for your voice to fully heal from a serious infection. The steam treatment below, #8, is very restorative!

7. Avoid Irritants: Everybody is different, so notice what bothers your particular voice, but many people react to these following things:

1. Smoking of any kind.
2. Alcohol
3. Antihistamines 
4. Antidiarrhetics
5. Citrus
6. Dairy
7. Chocolate

 8. Give yourself a monthly vocal steam treatment: I learned this simple steam treatment from a Speech Pathologist and it’s the best steam treatments I’ve ever had, and it’s so simple:

1. Boil a cup of water and pour the water into a teacup.
2. Place a large dish towel over the crown of your head, and then lean forward directly over the teacup, creating a funnel for the steam.
3. Breathe in the steam through your mouth slowly, inhaling for several counts. Go through 5-10 breath cycles and you should start to feel the steam soothe your throat.

9. Practice Positive Thinking & Mindfulness: Feeling stressed can impact your voice and even make you more prone to vocal injury. Try different ways to be mindful so that you can stay relaxed. To develop your mindfulness, try a few minutes of meditation or deep breathing each day. Yoga, exercise, stretching, dancing, and martial arts are also excellent ways to practice mindfulness. Strengthen positive thinking with positive affirmations, a gratitude journal, and a “Good Vibe” music playlist.

10. Make Practice a Habit: Get into a consistent vocal practice habit by having a regular time of day and place where you warm-up before your meetings and speeches. When you make vocal practice part of your regular routine, you will build a stronger and clearer voice everyday. Well done!

Let’s review your vocal health checklist:

• Listen to your body cues
• Stay hydrated
• Use proper vocal technique
• Get adequate sleep
• Pace & recharge your voice daily
• Avoid speaking a lot with a sore throat
• Avoid irritants
• Give yourself a monthly vocal steam treatment
• Practice positive thinking & mindfulness
• Make vocal practice a habit

MY GIFT TO YOU

You can download your own copy of this Vocal Health Checklist by 12/22/22 HERE Happy & Healthy Holidays!

Want more vocal health advice? 

Visit me at

www.impactvocalcoaching.com

Have a Happy & Healthy Holiday,

Voice Coach Jessica Neighbor

P.S. Do you need 1:1 public speaker support in the new year. You can schedule a call with me HERE to talk more about how I can support you.