As a vocalist you learn that there’s some things you just don’t do. You protect yourself and your voice at all times. It’s your livelihood! As vocalists your vocal health is just as important as your physical, mental, and spiritual. There’s four big things to consider throughout the day that should become second nature. 

Get enough sleep! 

Having consistent rest decreases the chances of your body being physically fatigued. That type of bodily harm can cause stress to your vocal cord muscles as well. 

Watch what you eat! 

 Spicy foods are my favorite but if your body is not used to it, it can cause heartburn. How does it hurt your vocals? The acid can move to your throat and you don’t want that! 

Gum chewing is a hit or miss and I choose not to chew gum to avoid building tension and soreness in the jaw. Your face muscles are important too! You’ll need them to successfully use proper singing techniques to make certain sounds. 

Healthy foods are the best! Try to keep Vitamins A, E, and C in your diet! They reduce chances of dry throat and boost your immune system

Stay sanitary and up on your hygiene!

If it’s winter and feels warm, WHERE A COAT. 

Wash your hands, use sanitizer when you’re out and about to avoid germs. 

Catching the cold and flu can damage your voice temporarily so best to try and stay healthy.

Be careful around drugs and alcohol!

If you haven’t smoked before, DON’T try it and risk consistent smoking. You can severely damage your vocals by harming the vocal folds. Avoid second hand-hand smoke as well. 

Be mindful of your alcohol intake even with mouthwash. You can dry out your voice if you intake too much for long periods of time. 

Now with the daily routine checks finished, the second big thing for vocal care is physical EXERCISE! You could easily make this number five on the list above, but we all know most normal people don’t have time to workout everyday. I certainly do not! To keep your voice healthy there’s different exercises that work best for whichever vocal skills you want to improve. 

CARDIO works wonders! 

Whether you enjoy walking, jogging, running, dancing or any other cardio activity, get your heart pumping! It builds cardiovascular endurance which helps you sing more powerfully and feel more in control. 

STRENGTH based exercises are important too!

Lift with low weights and high repetitions to build core strength and endurance. Low weights decrease chances of straining which can harm your muscles. 

Building core strength makes singing strong effortless and holding notes easier.

Try a new sport or keep playing your favorite ones!

Sports can mix both strength and cardio exercise together allowing you to sing with more range, control, and less strain. 

Exercise and daily lifestyle considerations are both starting efforts in building up your vocal skills. Take time to figure out which lifestyle changes you need to make or bad habits you need to break. Once you decide that, you can build your own personal workout routine with a mix of cardio and strength exercises. Try to workout at least two to three times a week to start. If you’re having a hard time deciding what workouts to try, you can try my personal favorite routine!