How to LOOK AFTER YOUR VOICE this winter...

It's the time of year when our voices can feel a bit under attack - there are coughs and colds aplenty buzzing round the office and the freezing weather doesn't help!

BUT, you're not totally at it's mercy - there's lots you can do to help look after your voice this winter so that those New Year presentations can still pack a punch!

Now obviously I'm not a doctor (so if you're ill - go see a doctor!), but I am someone who has needed to ask a lot of my voice in the winter months - whether it's surviving an intense panto schedule or running workshop after workshop.

So these are the tried and tested methods which I've found most effective....

WARM UP!

You wouldn't stand still in the cold and then walk inside and immediately sprint on a treadmill - you'd 100% do a physical warm up right? So your voice (as a muscle) deserves exactly the same treatment you'd give the rest of your body. Make sure to stretch and warm up your voice & breathing muscles so that you're not putting unnecessary strain on your voice. It will also mean your voice comes out in a relaxed, resonant, clear way, that you are absolutely in control of.

HYDRATE!

Keeping the vocal folds hydrated is vital - it helps them vibrate smoothly & easily and loosens & thins mucus to keep the voice clear.

Obviously drinking lots of fluid is fantastic for making sure you're well hydrated (when I have a sore voice, hot water with chopped ginger in is my go-to) and ideally drink warm rather than ice cold water (once you've warmed up your voice, you want to keep it warm!). 

But alongside that, the absolute QUEEN of vocal hydration is STEAM.

Steam gets moisture to your vocal folds quickly and effectively and efficiently. So take a long bath/shower, go to a steam room, or get your head over a bowl of hot water (NB Not boiling water!), and your voice will be in a much better place.

EAT YOUR 5-A-DAY!

We're all guilty of it - it's cold, it's January and we just wanna sit & eat all our leftover xmas chocolate while watching The Traitors. But if you help your immune system out, you've got a much better chance of staying well or fighting off any bugs that come your way. So make sure you're getting your fruit and veg in (alongside the all-important post-xmas chocolate!).

CONTROL YOUR AIR FLOW!

Make sure that when you speak, your air flow is slow, steady and controlled, otherwise you're just bashing your vocal folds together with unnecessary force!

To achieve this, you need to ensure that you've stretched to reduced any tension in the breathing muscles, then that you are breathing in a low, relaxed place and then that you are using your torso muscles to slowly control the output of air. 

This can take time to train, but why not start now?!

USE A MICROPHONE!

If your voice is hurting but you absolutely have to present and carry your voice across a large space, why not try using a microphone. You can then reduce the volume, but keep the same tools of expression in your voice - therefore staying engaging whilst requiring less from your vocal folds. 

VOICE REST!

I'm sorry, I've left the least fun one to last. But genuinely, if you're losing your voice and you need it to come back ASAP - complete voice rest is the one.

If you're like me and you're a social being, it's hard! BUT tell the people around you that you're on voice rest (I've honestly sat in panto dressing rooms with a sign taped to my shoulders saying "I'm on voice rest, please don't talk to me!").

Or if you can't bear total vocal rest, place yourself in quieter environments that require less of your voice - do you need to shout across the table to a large group in a busy city pub? could you go for a coffee with one friend?

Hope it helps! Try these out, and let me know how you get on!

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As a coach, NOTHING gives me more joy than a success story! If you've tried any of the tips from my newsletters, I would LOVE to hear how you got on - drop me a comment, say hi, ask any questions you may have - I'm here to help!

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That's it for today folks! If you found this valuable, please share 🙏🏻 it would absolutely make my day!

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Hi, I'm Lydia,

I’m a voice & mindset coach with a passion for helping people make the most of their speaking voice.

I help people speak with impact, authority and confidence - allowing them to take their careers & businesses to the next level.

Originally from the New Forest, I now live in a nice leafy surburb of London🍃

I'm friendly, efficient and fun! I've helped lots of people just like you to transform into confident, flourishing speakers - through my group workshops, 1:1 coaching & articles.

But you are unique - everyone has different needs and I love creating bespoke coaching plans for all my clients to get them from their own A to B - depending on their personality, concerns, hopes and goals.

I can't wait to help you shine and express your expertise in a way that leaves a lasting impression on everyone around you! 💥

www.stepupvocalcoaching.co.uk