Tips for Good Vocal Health
Establishing and maintaining good voice care habits is the best way to care of your voice. Following are tips on how to maintain good vocal health.
Don’t:
- Clear your throat vigorously.
- Yell, cheer, or scream. Avoid talking in noisy situations: (e.g., at noisy parties).
- Try to lecture or speak to large audiences without the aid of a sound amplifier.
- Sing beyond comfortable pitch and loudness ranges.
- Grunt during strenuous physical exercise.
- Speak beyond a natural breath cycle: avoid squeezing out the few words of thought without sufficient breath.
- Whisper and make "special effects" sounds with your voice (i.e., motor noises,cartoon voices, very high or low pitch sounds, etc.
- Use your voice extensively when you have a cold or when you feel tired.
- Expose your throat to excessive pollution: cigarette smoke, chemical fumes, etc. Avoid alcohol.
- Ignore prolonged symptoms of vocal strain, hoarseness, or throat pain.
- Try to sing loudly at any high pitch that you cannot manage at a quiet volume.
Do:
- Drink frequent sips of water to clear mucus and moisturize your throat.
- Use non-verbal noises (such as clapping or ringing a bell) to attract attention
- Move close enough to the person you are talking with to be heard without yelling.
- Reduce background noise.
- Always face the person(s) you are talking to.
- Use a microphone for public speaking.
- Breathe out slowly or purse your lips to hold your breath.
- Speak slowly, pausing often, at natural phrase boundaries. Don’t forget to take a breath!
- Use a soft voice instead of a whisper.
- Rest your voice, with the rest of your body, when you're ill or tired.
- Maintain proper moisture in your throat. Smoke dries the throat.
- Drink plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages
- Consult your doctor if you experience throat discomfort or hoarseness for more than fourteen days
