5 easy ways to keep your vocal folds happy

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Our vocal folds do such a lot for us, so it’s the least we can do to look after them and keep them happy. Here are 5 easy ways to do just that:

• Warm up your body and warm up your voice. It doesn't have to be complicated or take a long time. You can have a look at my previous blog post on warming up to get some ideas.

• Stay hydrated! Drink 6-8 glasses of water throughout the day, and don't wait until you're thirsty. If you feel thirsty, the chances are you’re already dehydrated. It takes several hours for any water or liquid we drink to hydrate our vocal folds - it will keep our vital organs hydrated as a priority first and foremost - the vocal folds are quite low down on the pecking order. So the best way to keep them hydrated and lubricated is to be systemically hydrated, which we achieve by a steady input of water throughout the day.

• Cool down at the end of the day by doing some gentle humming and voicing in your speaking voice range, and do your best to have a screen-free hour or two before bed.

• Build in periods of vocal rest into your day. This will be harder for some than others, depending on your lifestyle and job. But make it a priority to let your vocal folds have some down time throughout the day.

• Give them some variety! A little bit of activity, a little bit of rest. Vary your dynamics, your vocal energy and your pitch - go high and go low. 

Simple things, but well worth building in to your lifestyle to keep your voice happy and healthy.

Laura x

Source: Joanna Cazden Everyday Voice Care