The Power of Vocal Health and Why It Matters!

Studies have shown that voice disorders have affected around 6-23% of the general population, but among professional voice users like singers, this percentage is likely higher! Some artists have been public about their struggles with vocal nodules, such Adele, Julie Andrews, and Sam Smith. Their experiences show us that this is a common issue in the music industry! Many singers develop vocal nodules not only from overusing their voice but due to lack of vocal health education, as proper technique, vocal warm ups, staying hydrated, avoiding smoking, and limiting strain during vocal use are all critical to the prevention of vocal nodules.

Your voice is your most valuable instrument, treat it with the care and respect that it deserves, as it is your biggest asset!

Now let’s talk about what vocal health really is! 

Much like a car needs care and maintenance, so does your voice, just with a lot more care, as many of us don’t really drive our cars that lovingly, especially if you are living in South Africa like me! But don’t get me wrong I don’t drive as raged as most South Africans do, I promise. Now the whole reason for vocal health, as annoying as it may sound to some of you, is that it ensures that your voice is in optimal condition which then feeds to endurance and resilience. Which is exactly what you want and need as a singer or anyone that uses their voice professionally, like teachers, actors and public speakers.

Vocal health is a combination of physical, behavioral, and environmental factors that all work together for the well-being of those vocal cords.

Knowing the anatomy of the voice helps you understand how your voice functions and everything that works together to create sound, there are a lot of contributing factors there, wow! Now what helps you in knowing this, is that you will then be able to pinpoint where strain might be coming from. This is where you learn that strain can affect your voice from any part of your body, not just in the area of the head and neck!

There are other factors that also contribute to vocal health such as, staying hydrated, proper vocal technique, rest and recovery, diet and lifestyle, as well as environmental conditions! Now of course you are wondering why? Well, If your voice is well hydrated it keeps your voice more flexible and reduces the risk of strain and injury and so hydration is one of the most important things to keep in mind. Always keep a bottle of room temperature water close by, so when you need you can take a quick sip! If you have proper singing or speaking techniques it also minimizes strain and ensures that you are using your voice efficiently.

I am not sure if you have heard this before but if not I am happy that you are here to find out. Your voice is a muscle and so it should be treated and cared for like a muscle. The same way you would rest after having a workout, you should rest your voice as well. After intense use your voice needs the rest in order to recover and strengthen. If you are to take a rubber band and constantly play with it and stretch it intensely over and over without giving it a break or proper care, it will snap. The same goes for your voice and frankly any muscle in your body! 

Now we have, diet and lifestyle which can be annoying and I do understand as when it comes to food, the yummiest isn’t always the healthiest, and being healthy when it comes to food can be hard because of the taste (in some cases) as well as the fact that it can be expensive. But sadly certain foods and drinks can impact your voice negatively and avoiding things like alcohol and smoking are important. As acidic, spicy or certain dairy-heavy diets can irritate the vocal cords and cause mucus production. 

Finally we have environmental conditions, and you have been wondering how on earth does that play a role. It is one of the most difficult things to deal with as you can’t control what's around you unless you live there but there are ways around it. The environment affects you due to dry air, pollution, or allergens as they irritate the throat and vocal cords, having that bottle of water close by can be helpful and if you find yourself in a polluted environment, wear a mask. 

There are common vocal health issues and we may not all know about all of them. We did mention vocal nodules earlier and they are a small callus-like growth that is caused by constant strain and misuse of the voice. We then have laryngitis, this is when your vocal cords become inflamed which is caused by overusing your voice, an infection or irritation. Polyps and cysts are abnormal growths that form on the vocal cords and affect your sound production. Lastly we have vocal fatigue which is of course a tired or strained voice due to prolonged use and not enough rest.

Vocal health is so important because it ensures that your voice remains clear, flexible and resilient for everyday use and the demands of your profession. If you have poor vocal health then you will experience things such as chronic issues, reduced vocal range, and the worst of them all, losing your ability to sing or speak effectively. Your voice is such a beautiful blessing, it is how you speak, sing and live your life. If you can’t communicate properly it makes life extremely challenging, whether you are a singer, teacher, actor, call center worker, broadcaster, or a public speaker maintaining vocal health is crucial as it ensures endurance, strength, and clarity when in demanding environments. You can avoid vocal strain and injuries by adopting good habits of vocal health to ensure that your voice remains effective and strong for a lifetime!

I wish you great health and many many years of enjoying your voice the healthy way. Also, if you are interested in taking individual voice lessons with me, please visit my Lessonface profile here.