Vocal Health for Singers
You always want to sing your best and that is why vocal health is so important. There are a number of factors that can affect your vocal performance. It is a good idea to learn how to recognize potential problems so you can limit the chance for trouble when it comes time for you to sing. Here are a few common things to keep in mind when it comes to your vocal health:
The effect of alcoholic beverages
Alcohol is not good for your vocal cords because it causes the blood vessels in them to dilate. When the vessels in your vocal cords dilate, the blood comes closer to the surface and this makes them more susceptible to hemorrhaging while you are singing. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages on the days when you will be singing or practicing and when you do drink alcohol, be sure to drink a lot of water to keep from becoming dehydrated.
How cigarette smoke affects your vocal health
Smoke causes your throat to get irritated and this leads to inflammation that makes it difficult for you to sing your best. Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke as best you can. You especially want to avoid smoke several days before a lesson or performance.
Clearing your throat
If you are a habitual throat clearer, now is the time to break the habit and find the root of the problem. Constantly clearing your throat could be an indication of a medical condition like acid reflux or postnasal drip. Try to develop the habit of swallowing rather than throat clearing and discuss the problem with your doctor to find out the cause. For many singers, throat clearing is just an unconscious habit that results from trying to clear the vocal cords for singing. Singing with a little mucus on your vocal cords shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
Food and your vocal health
You’ll discover that certain foods cause vocal irritation. For instance, dairy foods are noted to cause increased mucus production and this leads you to clear your throat more frequently. Some singers are affected by spicy foods. You’ll have to discover which foods bother you so you can avoid them for a few days prior to a big performance.
How allergens affect vocal health
Sensitivities to allergens, such as pollen or dust, may cause the vocal folds and throat to swell. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medication to help you overcome your allergy problems. In the meantime, take some basic precautions. Clean your house on a regular basis to prevent dust from collecting and bothering you and choose non-allergenic materials for your bed linen. Be sure to listen to your local weather reports for current pollen counts. Usually, pollen counts are the highest in the early evening or early morning hours. If you limit outdoor activities to the middle of the day, you’re less likely to encounter the highest levels of pollen.
How medicines can affect your voice
Many times, the drugs you take for other conditions will cause your throat to become dried out. If you need to take the medications, compensate by drinking more water so you don’t get dry when you sing. You may also want to avoid the medications on the days that you have to do plenty of singing.
I hope you found this post helpful. If you’ve ever invested in singing lessons to improve your voice, then it’s likely you’ll be interested in discovering how to ensure your singing success (even without a record label deal) so be sure to check out Social Bandmaker.