09.14.07

Top Tips to keep your voice sounding great.

Posted in Public Speaking, Personal Development, 2007, UK at 2:13 am by Jeremy Jacobs

Earlier this year, I posted an item on “looking after your voice”.

Just the other day, I attended a course run by Helen Sewell of Simply Speaking. These are her top tips:

Keeping hydrated

1. Always drink plenty of water. If you are dehydrated your throat will be dehydrated. Try to drink eight glasses of water a day.

2. Keep your home humidified. Central heating dries the atmosphere, which can dry out your vocal cords. Put a bowl of water near radiators, or place a damp towel over them.

3. Get enough sleep. Being tired will affect your voice in the same way that it affects any muscular performance. You should rest your voice at times during the day for the same reason. Take time to relax, unwind and breathe. A healthy, less stressed you will be more likely to have a healthy, less stressed voice.

Food and drink

1. Eat regular meals and try to eat a balanced diet. Do not eat late at night, as this encourages indigestion, which can affect the voice.

2. Limit your intake of foods which can increase the likelihood of indigestion, including spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes, fatty foods, chocolate, alcohol and caffeine.

3. Try not to drink more than 3 units of alcohol a day, as this can make your vocal cords swell and your voice become husky, rough and low pitched.

Smoking

1. Smoking, or being in a smoky environment, can dry out and irritate your throat. Regular smoking can make your vocal cords thicker, and your voice lower pitched and harsher.

2. Smoking also damages your lungs, affecting your breathing and therefore your voice.

If you have a sore throat

A sore throat is your body’s way of telling you that something is not right. You should:

1. Rest your voice as much as possible.

2. Drink lots of cool drinks(not hot ones, as these can dry your throat)

3. Inhale steam

4. Eat a spoonful of honey

5. Suck pastilles or boiled sweets, or chew gum to keep your mouth moist.

6. Avoid medicated lozenges or cough sweets, as these will numb your throat, which means you are likely to talk more and potentially cause more damage.

Reproduced by kind permission of Simply Speaking Limited

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