Why Do I Lose My Voice So Easily After Talking on Zoom?

Let’s talk about the way we use our voices on Zoom or other online platforms. Why do you lose your voice easily? How is it different from talking face-to-face? Why do our voices get tired easily or even why do we lose our voice when talking online? I will be answering all these questions plus I will give you 5 tips on how to avoid vocal problems when speaking online. 

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are on video calls more than ever before. And our voices suffer. This is an example of messages I get on a regular basis:

“I lose my voice by the end of the day every single day. This is my first year working online, and I've never had this problem with in-person services. I'm working with students in their homes and I'm having to talk so much louder. Any tips or ideas would be amazing!”

If you are experiencing similar difficulties, you are definitely not alone! I had a very similar experience after the first few days of working online in April 2020. My voice was tired and hoarse in the evening. I did not have energy to talk to my family by the end of the day. But because I use my voice for work, I had to figure out why this was happening to me and what to do about it. More than a year later, we know much more about using our voices on video conferencing platforms and how to protect them from vocal problems.  

Why Do I Lose My Voice?

So, the first question is: Is using your voice on video-conferencing platforms harder than in-person communication? I am not sure if it is harder but for many of us it is a new way of communication that we need to learn how to do efficiently. 

The truth is that we use our voices differently in different environments or with different communication partners. Your voice is different when you speak to your boss and when you talk to a toddler. And it is also true for using your voice online and offline. There are several differences between an online conversation and in-person conversation. A video call requires more focus than a face-to-face chat. We are missing a lot of non-verbal cues like facial expressions, voice cues, or body language. Whenever we feel that our listener is not understanding what we are saying, we increase our vocal effort and often even raise the volume of our voice. This puts strain on the voice if you do it for a long time. 

The Background Noise

Very often we compete with background noise either of the environment we are in or our listener is in. Now, take for example that you are on a group call where every participant is in their home environment/ Kids crying, dogs barking and neighbours cutting the grass exactly at the time of your conference call. You reflexively raise your voice to be heard over that noise. This is a reflex that kicks in even during personal communication, for example in loud restaurants or noisy pubs. This is a natural reflex of a speaker to increase their vocal effort when speaking in loud noise to enhance the audibility of their voice. We all do it but it happens much more often on video calls. 

Another reason why we raise our vocal effort on Zoom is something I’ve heard about recently. It is the fact that when we see our communication partners on a monitor in a tiny window, our brain interprets it as the person being far away. What do you do when a person is far away? You naturally raise the volume of your voice. 

The number of people on the Zoom call may also trigger the use of more vocal effort or a louder speech. The illusion of talking to a group of people may make you start speaking up and projecting your voice more. Our brain simply thinks that a bigger group requires more volume.  

Stress

And add to it the stress from being watched on the monitor by other people on the call. I am sure you have experienced it yourself. The pressure is on and this of course causes more strain and constriction in our throats. It is nerve-wracking and more stressful to watch yourself on the monitor and being watched by other people. 

Lastly, we use Zoom for many different purposes, not just work. I personally went to a virtual birthday party, funeral, graduation, Christmas celebration, even Halloween party. I meet with my friends online on a regular basis, I talk to my family through virtual apps and platforms. I talk to teachers of my kids and even my family doctor. There is barely any separation between work and life outside of work. In the end, we use online communication non-stop and it is very hard to set boundaries to how much we use our voices in person and online. We no longer have that downtime between meetings to allow our voices to rest, whether it’s a commute, water break or just walking between meeting spaces.

What to Do?

So, what can we do to protect our voices from getting vocally tired and to avoid losing it after talking on Zoom? Here are 5 tips to maintain your voice healthy and happy.

Tip #1 Be mindful of the loudness of your own voice

Now that you know all the triggers that may cause you to raise your voice, become aware of how loud you are talking. There is no need to project your voice. If people cannot hear you adjust the settings on your mic or ask them to increase volume on their end. You can still be animated and involved in the conversation while keeping your volume at a normal conversational level. Use gestures to get your point across to help people understand what you are saying. 

If you are experiencing vocal strain, tension or even pain when speaking, and you are ready to work towards a free, strong and confident voice, you can apply to our Vocal Freedom System coaching program. Click here to schedule a call with me. 

Tip #2 Schedule vocal rests

If possible, limit the time you spend on video calls. Don’t talk online all day long. Schedule periods of time where you engage in quiet activities, like writing emails or reading documents. Finding time to rest your voice will go a long way to maintaining good vocal health.  

Also schedule transition periods between video meetings. During these breaks, have a drink of water, move around, stretch your body, massage your larynx, close your eyes and do a short breathing or mindfulness exercise. Having boundaries between work and private lives is important. It may be challenging but it is possible. 

Tip #3 Use a good mic

All our laptops and computers have built-in microphones and speakers. For the most part these tools work just fine, but it is a good idea to invest in a good microphone or an audio system that can help prevent vocal strain. I have an external mic and it makes my life so much easier.

Tips #4 Use your whole body when speaking

The muscles in your larynx are very small. Don’t rely solely on them. Engage the big body muscles and muscles of your head and neck to provide a stable framework and support for your voice. When you are talking to your boss in person, your body is not relaxed. So don’t speak from a relaxed body when you are on Zoom. Improve your posture, align your body well and maintain that muscle engagement to prevent vocal fatigue.

Tip #5 Release tension after you speak on Zoom

If you start feeling that your voice is getting tired or weak, release tension from your voice either with gentle SOVT exercises or with a manual self-massage. Release tension that has accumulated in your voice with these simple techniques that are very effective and take only a few minutes. SOVT exercises are simple vocal exercises that anyone can do, such as straw exercises, humming, lip trills or other vocal exercises. Laryngeal self-massage is a quick way to reposition your voice box and give it a boost of energy. My channel has a lot of videos on these topics so check them out.

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/OkYNTlz-V_E