5 Must-Dos to Avoid Losing Your Voice When Speaking

Avoid losing your voice ever again! Do you tend to lose your voice when speaking? Then you are in the right place because I am sharing 5 things you have to do to avoid losing your voice when speaking.

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. 

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. 

#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.

#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. But 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.

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. Click here to schedule a chat with me.

Watch this video for more tips:

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/jsAnXYVPkP4