Tips to Keep Your Voice Healthy During the Wintertime
If you're a vocalist like me, you are always conscious of how your throat feels, especially in this cold weather. Here are a few things that I try to do to keep my voice in good shape all year round:
|
) Stay Healthy! In general, do the things we're all supposed to do to stay healthy, like get plenty of sleep and exercise, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and drink plenty of liquids.
2) Drink warm liquids, and not cold beverages. There's no science here, but it just feels better on my throat to drink warm beverages in the wintertime than cold drinks. I drink a lot of tea, and really enjoy herbal teas (black teas are caffeinated and tend to dehydrate; green teas don't have quite as much caffeine, but do have some). I used to drink hot lemon and honey, but that can be really hard on vocal cords. I'm not a big ginger fan, but I know folks who enjoy drinking cut-up fresh ginger steeped in hot water; it's a great medicinal plant and has many benefits. Honey is also great to add to this or tea; it helps to coat and sooth the vocal cords and gives a bit of sweetness to a tart drink. |
3) Avoid dairy products. I find my body creates a lot of mucus (which hangs out in the throat and makes it harder to sing clearly) when I consume a lot of dairy products, so I avoid them as much as I can. I'm from Wisconsin, so it's really hard to go cold turkey on cheese, but I can sure feel it when I overdo. If I have a gig coming up, I'd rather just pass.
4) Avoid any loud yelling or screaming, especially at sports or concert events. When attending or just watching your favorite sport, it's easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of a good game. Sometimes it's hard not to sing along with a favorite singer on the radio or iPod or at their concert. But singing or yelling at the top of your voice for a long period of time may make you hoarse the next day or even longer. Be careful. (Even loud talking at a bar or a party can strain your voice. Try being a "close talker" and keep your voice at an even level.)
4) Avoid any loud yelling or screaming, especially at sports or concert events. When attending or just watching your favorite sport, it's easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of a good game. Sometimes it's hard not to sing along with a favorite singer on the radio or iPod or at their concert. But singing or yelling at the top of your voice for a long period of time may make you hoarse the next day or even longer. Be careful. (Even loud talking at a bar or a party can strain your voice. Try being a "close talker" and keep your voice at an even level.)
|
5) Dress properly when going out in the cold. I'm going to sound like your mother, but don't forget your hat, scarf and gloves when you go out in the cold! That dry air dries out your throat. I wear my scarf wrapped around my neck so that I can pull it up and breathe through it if the air is too cold on my throat. Hats, even though they are not fashion friendly all the time, keep your body heat in your body. When it's below zero, that's where that heat should stay!! I'm really susceptible to chapped hands, so gloves are a big priority for me. Red chapped hands don't look pretty when I'm holding a microphone! 6) Always warm up before singing. Always, always, always!! It's the best protection against straining your voice while performing. If warmed up well, I can sing all day! (Check my other blog post for warm-up ideas.) Do you have any more ideas on how to keep your voice healthy in the wintertime? Please share! Take care and happy singing! ~Rita 1/19/2016 |
|