Healthy Speech Can Improve Your Singing
Your singing voice is affected by your speaking voice By taking good care of your voice when speaking, you are improving your vocal health. You can improve your speaking habits by: Using full volume when you need to be heard (at sports events, parties, or clubs), but not screaming. Anytime you speak, use a reasonable volume, not a loud one. Speak with no tension, for example in the tongue or jaw – pay attention to articulation to prevent tension. Use your knowledge of breathing and apply it while using the telephone. Avoid talking until your voice hurts from lack of breath.
You are What You Eat
Though it may not be your personal issue, a body that is too lean may have trouble finding the stamina to sing and sustain the higher pitches. Make sure you’re nourishing your body on a regular basis for stamina. Many singers wait until late in the day to eat, but your body needs something to get it started. Try to get yourself into a routine where you eat something early in the day so you don’t find yourself snacking late at night because your body feels hungry.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
Your body is 50% to 65% water. Your lungs depend on water to keep the tissue moving easily. Muscle tissue is made up of 75% water. Therefore, keeping your body properly hydrated helps your singing voice.
Many people don’t drink enough water because the taste is boring to them. However, other liquids can help you balance your hydration levels as long as you remember that sugar content in drinks won’t you’re your waistline and caffeine in beverages can dry you out. Caffeine is a diuretic and causes your body to get rid of excess water which means you can’t rely on that cup of coffee to keep your voice in good shape.
Get Plenty of Shut-Eye
Too little sleep makes it difficult for your throat tissue to heal. If you continually deprive yourself of sleep, you voice begins to feel sluggish. You have to give your voice a chance to regenerate and recoup at night. Try sleeping a little more for several nights and see the difference it makes in your singing.
Be Sure You’re Well Nourished
Always maintain a balanced diet. Following guidelines of basic nutrition means getting a balanced amount of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy products. You should also ensure that your getting the right amounts of fats, protein, and carbohydrates. You may find that singing requires more energy, which means adding more protein to your diet to enhance your body’s ability to sustain you through long rehearsals.
Preventing a Sore Throat or Infection
Keeping a few basic remedies on hand can make a huge difference for the times you feel a bit of a tickly coming on. One staple that many singers swear by is a bottle of saline nasal spray which is nothing more than water and salt. By spraying the salt water up your nose, you can wash out germs that are lingering waiting to attack your immune system.
Or try gargling with warm salt water. Adding a few teaspoons of salt to a half cup of warm water and then gargling helps wash away any germs that can lodge in the back of your mouth. Simply mix about a half cup of warm water with a few teaspoons of salt and gargle, washing away germs that are lodged in the back of your mouth. People that get frequent infections around their tonsils find that saltwater is a good friend. Additionally, swishing that saltwater around in your mouth makes those painful little canker sores stop right in their tracks.
I hope these vocal health tips were helpful to you. If you’d like more information about vocal health and learning to sing I recommend checking out Singing Success. Singing Success is a world famous home study singing course created by Nashville singing coach Brett Manning.