Singing Vocal Health

Vocal health for singers is very important when it comes to singing your best. There are several things that can have an effect upon the quality of your vocal performance. What’s important is that you recognize problems and keep them at bay before a big performance. Here are a few common things to keep in mind when it comes to your vocal health:

How alcohol affects your vocal health

Alcohol causes the blood vessels in your body to dilate and that is not good for your vocal cords when you will be singing. 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. Limit your intake of alcohol to those days that you don’t have to practice or perform and drink plenty of water on those days that you choose to drink, because alcohol dehydrates you.

Cigarette smoke affects your voice

Cigarette smoke causes the tissue in your throat to become irritated and inflamed and this makes it more difficult for you to sing well. 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 frequently

If you are constantly clearing your throat, you should find out the reason behind it so you can break the habit. Constantly clearing your throat could be an indication of a medical condition like acid reflux or postnasal drip. Swallow instead of clearing your throat and talk with your doctor about the cause. For many singers, throat clearing is just an unconscious habit that results from trying to clear the vocal cords for singing. A little mucus on your vocal cords should not be too much of an interference with your voice.

The effect food has on your vocal health

Certain foods can irritate your voice. For instance, dairy foods are noted to cause increased mucus production and this leads you to clear your throat more frequently. Some people claim that spicy foods don’t enhance their singing. Pay attention to how your body reacts to certain foods, so you know what to avoid the day before or day of a big concert or performance.

Pollen, allergens and your voice

Being allergic to dust or pollen can cause your vocal folds and throat to become irritated and swollen. You doctor might be able to help you deal with your allergy problems. There are a few things you can do at home to limit your exposure to allergens. Clean your house often so dust does not have a chance to settle and collect and buy non-allergenic bedding to sleep on. Be sure to listen to your local weather reports for current pollen counts. Most areas have higher pollen counts in the early morning or early evening. If you limit outdoor activities to the middle of the day, you’re less likely to encounter the highest levels of pollen.

How medication affects your vocal health

The problem with most over-the-counter drugs is that just about anything you can find to help you with the symptoms of a runny nose or watery eyes dries out your throat. If you can’t avoid taking the medications, be sure to drink a lot of water so your throat won’t get dry when you sing. If possible, you may want to forego the medicine on the days when you have to sing.

I hope you found this article informative. 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.