Did you know that there's an easy way to relax your throat muscles in just a couple of minutes.
In this video, I am going to tell you why you may be experiencing throat tension when speaking
and show you a simple exercise to release tension from your voice. Keep on watching.
Hi! I am Katarina, speech language pathologist and here on this channel, I share practical tips
about using your voice in a healthy way. So, if this is a topic that interests you,
consider subscribing to this channel and hitting that bell notification icon so that
you don’t miss any of my future videos. I have the privilege of helping people
who experience vocal tension or strain when using their voice, whether it’s
during speaking or singing. And the exercise I am going to show you in this video, works
wonders for many of them. Here is what one of the members in our group coaching program
said about this exercise after trying it for a few days: “I cannot believe that my throat
feels normal again. Before, I felt this tightness under my chin even when I was not talking.
And after 5 minutes of talking on the phone, I felt like someone was squeezing my throat.
Your exercise released this tension and also, my voice became warmer and
friendlier. I am definitely keeping this exercise in my vocal toolbox.”
The best part of the exercise that I call “the sad voice”, is that you can do it anytime,
anywhere, and it takes less than 5 minutes. But before I show it to you, let me tell you
who this exercise is for and why it’s working. Throat tension when speaking generally happens for
two reasons: when there is too much muscle work or physical effort in the systems of respiration,
phonation and resonance; or when there are too many muscles working at the same time,
even if they are not required to work for that given vocal task.
For many people who complain about throat tightness, the problem is in their hyoid bone
and the larynx being too high. The hyoid bone is a U-shaped bone in your neck right under the chin
and your larynx is basically your voice box that houses your vocal folds. The larynx is suspended
from the hyoid bone so when the hyoid bone is too high, your larynx is too high too. This is a very
common symptom in people who experience vocal tension. Basically, the muscles above your hyoid
bone and the larynx are working too hard. They may be constantly contracted without you even
realizing it. You may have accumulated tension in these muscles over time and not be aware of it.
When the larynx is elevated, your vocal tract is shorter and your pharyngeal space, which is
your throat, becomes smaller too. This affects the resonance of your voice and your voice may be weak
or squeaky without rich tones or enough volume to be heard by other people. This elevated position
of the larynx can also directly affect the vocal folds, and you may end up with pressed or tight
phonation resulting in harsh sounding voice. So, if this is you, the most appropriate solution
would be an exercise or action that improves the laryngeal position, opens up the throat,
which releases tension from the throat muscles. The sad voice exercise not only moves the larynx
down, it also moves the false vocal folds to the sides, and widens the throat. It also
brings the true vocal folds together in a very gentle manner so there is no squeezing or pressed
phonation. It’s the most gentle sound you can make. These are all great things for people who
carry their larynx in a high position due to excessive muscle tension in this area.
So, let’s do the exercise. Step 1: Move it down
Put your hand on the neck to feel the laryngeal movement. Imagine that you are very sad.
You can even whimper like an old sad dog.
Do you feel your larynx move down? You can see my larynx moving down when using my
sad voice. Very good. Step 2: Find your sad voice
Now use your voice and say: “I am very sad.” in the saddest way you can.
Do you feel your larynx moving down? Do you feel your throat widening?
The sound you are making is very gentle, it’s not loud. There is very little breath pressure
under the vocal folds so there is no stress put on the vocal folds. But the vocal folds come together
nicely, there is no breathiness in the tone. The vocal folds closure is still good but not pressed.
Step 3: Use your sad voice Now that you have found your sad voice, you can
release tension by using it this way for a few minutes. Count from 1 to 10. Say the days of the
week or the months in the year. Or say something else. Use your sad voice for a few minutes to
reposition your larynx to a lower position. Step 4: Compare
After a few minutes of this exercise, return back to your normal voice and compare.
Do you feel less tension, is your voice darker or warmer? Let me know in the comments below.
You can do this exercise any time you feel your larynx getting stuck in the higher positions.
You can do it several times a day for a few minutes. If it feels good and you can see
the benefits then put it into your vocal toolbox and use it on a regular basis.
If you are experiencing vocal strain, tension or even pain when speaking, and you are ready
to work with me towards a free, strong and confident voice, you can apply to our Vocal
Freedom System coaching program. Check out the links in the description below this video.
Bonus tip Add self-administered laryngeal massage to
your daily routine to release muscle tension from your larynx and throat. This massage is good for
reducing laryngeal tension or just for resetting your larynx after a long day of vocal use.
I made a video about laryngeal self-massage that you can watch by clicking this link or a link
below this video. Laryngeal massage may not be for everyone but I highly recommend that you try it.
I also made a video, in which I walk you through 7 steps that lead to a strong voice without tension.
If you want to know what voice, body and mind considerations you need to
take to truly free your voice, click the link in the description below this video.
If you found this video helpful, click the like button and share it with your friends.
Check out the video on how to do laryngeal self-massage. I hope to see you soon. Bye.