Do you tend to lose your voice when speaking?
Then you are in the right place because in this video, I am sharing 5 things you have
to do to avoid losing your voice when speaking.
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 meet with and help a lot of people who complain about losing their voice after talking all
day long, whether it’s in person or online.
Some people lose their voice after an hour of presenting to a group of people and I know
some people who even lose their voice after a 10-minute phone call.
Are you one of them?
Write “me” in the comments below.
So here are 5 must-dos to avoid losing your voice.
#1 Avoid vocal behaviours that can lead to vocal trauma
Some vocal behaviours are known to lead to vocal trauma and to a loss of voice.
Behaviours like screaming, shouting, yelling.
But then, there are some vocal behaviours that are not as obvious.
Behaviours like constant throat clearing or coughing, smoking or talking to a group of
people without proper amplification and technique, or competing with a loud background when talking.
Loud places make us push more air and increase breath pressure under the vocal folds, which
puts a lot of strain on the voice.
If you are a teacher, you may have experienced it many times.
You need to talk to a group of youngsters for a long time and when they don’t listen,
then you need to raise your voice to be heard.
If you do that for a long time day after day, you may be prone to losing your voice on a
regular basis.
So, what do you do?
I get it, you need to use your voice to do your job.
I am just challenging you to do everything possible to use your voice in a more efficient
way.
Can you use a personal amplification system so that you don’t need to speak loud and
be still heard?
Can you use something else other than your voice to get attention?
Can you organize your work in a way that will require talking for a shorter period of time?
Sometimes, we need to think outside of the box to find solutions to avoid these vocal
behaviours requiring pushing or taxing your vocal folds.
And sometimes, you may not even be aware of pushing your voice to its limits.
How do you know if you are taxing your vocal folds?
That leads us to a must-do #2: #2 Be in tune with your body
Know the signs of vocal trauma and listen to your body.
There are a few signs that are a clear telltale that your voice is being pushed beyond the
healthy limits.
If you feel a vocal itch, scratch or tingle at the level of the vocal folds, then you
know that you pushed your voice too much.
If you feel like you have to clear your throat or cough after you use it, you know that you
are asking your voice to do vocal tasks that are beyond its current capabilities.
There is too much constriction or collision at the level of the vocal folds.
Become aware of these signs, stop and give your voice a break.
When you use your voice, it should always feel easy at the level of the vocal folds.
It can feel like hard work anywhere else in the body.
Many people think that speaking should feel relaxed.
But if you are speaking for a long time, if you are talking to a group of people, presenting
or singing, there is no way you can be relaxed in the body and not put strain on your voice.
Use your whole body to support the little laryngeal muscles inside or around the voice
box.
If you are doing it right, then your body may feel exhausted but your voice is happy
and still going after a whole day of talking or an hour-long presentation.
Train your body to give a strong framework for your voice and take pressure away from
the vocal folds.
#3 Take a break If you are someone who uses voice all the
time, then make sure that you schedule quiet times in your calendar.
Yes, I really mean it: block out times where you will engage in quiet activities that do
not require voice use.
You can read or send texts or emails, you can clean, organize or write, you can watch
videos, news or people go by on your lunch break.
Schedule these voice breaks right before big and important vocal tasks, such as presentations,
lectures, lessons or phone calls.
In this way, you ensure that your voice is well rested and ready for the task ahead.
If you can engage in some kind of meditation or mindfulness exercise, even better.
They don’t need to be long - 2, 5, or 10 minutes, whatever you can do.
I made a few videos about the benefits of these practices on the voice, so you can watch
them later.
I will link to them at the end of this video.
#4 Hydrate your voice This goes without saying.
And I know you know.
Before you roll your eyes on me, I want to share two important concepts about this piece
of advice.
First, hydration by itself will not solve all your vocal issues.
If you are not using optimal vocal technique, drinking 2 litres of water will not save your
voice.
Good hydration is the absolute minimum that you need to do to keep your voice healthy.
Without a doubt.
So, if you are one of those people who rarely drink any liquids throughout the day, get
yourself a bottle of water and keep it with you all the time.
Sip the water whenever you can and keep the body and your vocal folds hydrated throughout
the day, not only when you feel thirsty.
Second, try steaming.
It’s the quickest way to get moisture to your vocal folds.
When you drink water, it takes time for the water to be absorbed by your body and get
to the tissue of the vocal folds.
If you inhale warm steam, the moisture gets in touch with the tissue much faster.
I made several videos on this topic so check them out.
But again, steaming is not a magical cure to all voice problems.
It’s just a quick way to hydrate your vocal folds.
# 5 Improve vocal function If you keep losing your voice on a regular
basis, have it checked by a laryngologist - that’s an ENT doctor who can properly
assess your voice.
This may not be the most pleasant exam but it is so important to make sure that there
is nothing sinister going on inside your larynx.
And if the doctor says that it is a functional problem, then you can start working on improving
your vocal function.
The good news is that voice therapy is very effective in this matter.
It is absolutely possible to change the way you use your voice when speaking for a long
time or to a group of people without getting hoarse or tired or without losing your voice.
It takes time but it is possible.
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.
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 my other videos right here below.
I’ll see you soon.
Bye.