In the popular game of Snakes and Ladders, luck plays a large part in whether you rise up and advance towards your goal of reaching a score of 100 or whether you slither downward away from your winning score. When it comes to vocal health, you are more in control. You choose between behaviours that have a positive effect and support healthy voicing and those behaviours that are detrimental to your overall vocal health. Here are some “Ladders“ to embrace and some “Snakes” to avoid in order to support your voice.
LADDERS
Hydration: Drink at least 1.5 litres of water per day. Historically, this total was restricted to include herbal and fruit teas and water flavoured with squash or fresh fruit infusion. This total was not inclusive of caffeinated beverages such as black teas, coffee and colas. Current studies do not support the widely accepted notion that drinking caffeinated beverages results in fluid loss greater than that which was ingested; however, it is still considered healthier to consume caffeine in moderation, due to other negative effects it may have on your body.
Steaming: There is some debate as to how effective steaming is for directly hydrating laryngeal tissues, but applying moisture in this way is certainly soothing and helps to loosen mucous in the upper respiratory system when one is suffering from colds, sinus infections, etc. Decongestants are drying to the tissues in the nose and throat, so not as helpful in maintaining that much needed moisture.
Good posture: Maintain good posture when speaking. Pay special attention to your posture when seated for lengthy periods of time or when on the telephone. Have a workstation assessment to ensure you have a supportive chair, computer at the correct height and keyboard at the right level.
Breathe well: Breathe through your nose, especially when outside. Your nasal passages help to warm and filter the air, which is healthier for your throat and lungs. Relax your abdomen to allow your diaphragm to move as it was designed to move. You should feel your abdomen move forward with each inhalation and back with each exhalation. If you are heaving your chest and shoulders, you are not breathing efficiently.
Manage stress: Use mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing and talking to people you trust to help manage stress and emotional tension. Not managing stress leads to poor breathing and tension in the neck, shoulders, jaw and laryngeal structures, all of which are detrimental to healthy voicing.
Rest your voice: If you must use your voice a lot during the course of the day, find times when you can be quiet to give your voice a rest. If you lose your voice completely, do not try to keep talking. Rest your voice until it returns.
SNAKES
Irritants: avoid other types of irritants such as smoke, dust, strong smells and vapours, chemicals and excessive alcohol. Environmental irritants harm the sensitive tissues of the larynx and usually trigger a cough response, which also damages tissues within the throat. And speaking of irritants…
Smoking: Stop smoking. Anything. And vaping. I’m afraid there’s nothing positive about smoking. And just because you inhale fewer chemicals whilst vaping, you are still sucking carcinogens into your respiratory system, exposing your most delicate vocal tissues to toxins.
Poor eating patterns: Avoid foods that may promote reflux (chocolate, acidic foods, highly spiced foods, etc) or foods to which you may have a sensitivity. Also, avoid eating late at night, so you can remain upright for at least 45 minutes after a meal. By adopting these eating patterns, you reduce the risk of reflux, which can be damaging to the delicate tissues in the larynx.
Throat clearing: Avoid habitual coughing to clear your throat. This violent action of the vocal folds causes micro-traumas to the delicate structure of the vocal folds, which promotes the production of secretions. You can feel these secretions and want to clear your throat, again. It’s the start of a vicious cycle. Steam, swallow or have a sip of water, instead.
Shouting or speaking excessively loudly: If you are in a noisy environment, move to a quieter place to talk. Walk over to a person rather than shouting to get their attention. Avoid over-enthusiastic cheering at sports events and shouting/singing at concerts.
Whispering: Avoid whispering. Believe it or not, whispering creates vocal tension that does more harm than good.