Common Factors Affecting Your Vocal Health
To sing at your best, it’s important to look after your vocal health. Many things can affect the quality of your singing voice. It is a good idea to learn how to recognize potential problems so you can limit the chance for trouble when it comes time for you to sing. These are some everyday factors that can have an effect upon 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. Do not drink alcohol on days when you will be singing, either performing or practicing, and on the days when you do drink alcoholic beverages, drink lots of water to counteract alcohol’s dehydrating effects.
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 frequently clear your throat, you should find out the cause 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. Singing with a little mucus won’t hurt.
The effect food has on your vocal health
You’ll discover that certain foods cause vocal irritation. Dairy products often cause mucus to build up, which causes you to clear your throat frequently. Some singers are affected by spicy foods. 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, dust and your vocal health
Allergies to pollen and dust will cause your throat and vocal folds to become irritated and inflamed. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medication to help you overcome your allergy problems. In the meantime, take some basic precautions. Clean your house often so dust does not have a chance to settle and collect and buy non-allergenic bedding to sleep on. Listen to the local weather report to find out the pollen count. Usually, pollen counts are the highest in the early evening or early morning hours. If you need to spend time outdoors, doing so in the middle of the day is a good idea so you encounter less pollen.
Medications and 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 need to take the medications, compensate by drinking more water so you don’t get dry when you sing. If possible, you may want to forego the medicine on the days when you have to sing.
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