Singing through Sickness: Claim Your Craft
Your body is your instrument.
Our voice is a part of our body, so when we are sick, changes in our bodies are felt in our voices as well. As singers, we only have one instrument, so it is important that we take good care of it. By caring for our voices now, we ensure that we will be able to use them throughout our lives. This blog post aims to give you tools for caring for and protecting your voice when sickness strikes. The best way to protect your voice is through awareness and constructive action.
Your Voice and Illness
Illness can translate to your voice in many ways, and many physical and environmental factors affect our singing instruments in addition to illness: fatigue, stress, dehydration, allergies, reflux, hormonal changes, and tension. Vocal symptoms may include decreased or loss of certain notes in your range, difficulty singing in tune, hoarseness, less “ring” in your voice, fatigue, low-speaking voice, feeling a need to clear your throat, excessive mucus, and pain. Being sensitive to which symptoms you are experiencing can help you make thoughtful choices on how to best care for your voice when you are sick.
Rest
When you are under the weather, the best thing you can do for your body is provide it with ample rest. The same is true when you experience vocal symptoms. Rest allows your whole body and your voice to recover. Your voice is a muscle, and overworking that muscle, especially in times of illness, leaves it susceptible to injury. To rest your voice, limit singing and speaking as much as possible. If you must sing or speak, make sure to support your voice well with ample breath energy and good posture. Avoid vocal extremes like yelling and whispering. Surprisingly, whispering is more stressful on your voice than speaking at a normal level.
Hydration
A hydrated voice is a happy voice! We need ample amounts of water to keep our vocal folds functioning healthily. Hydration keeps our vocal folds flexible and protects them from injury. Some medications which are commonly used during times of illness such as antihistamines can further dehydrate your voice. Make sure to drink plenty of water when using them.
Be Gentle with your Voice
While it is not always necessary to go on full vocal rest when you are under the weather, it is especially important to be gentle with your voice during this time.
Warm up your voice slowly. Begin with lip buzzes, gentle sirens, or straw phonation.
Consider avoiding particularly vocally taxing repertoire and exercises.
Take plenty of breaks and sip water as you practice.
Notice if any of your symptoms worsen as you sing or if you experience pain or hoarseness. If so, stop singing and talk with your teacher at your next lesson.
Try not to clear your throat. Take a sip of water instead.
Talk with Your Voice Teacher
Each instructor at WD Studio has dealt with vocal symptoms and illnesses throughout our careers, and we know the importance of keeping our voices healthy. Whether you are feeling better than ever or are under the weather, we want to know. If you are experiencing pain, hoarseness, or persistent vocal symptoms while singing, it is especially important to discuss these with your voice teacher. When needed, we will help connect you with a medical professional. We hope you will discuss any vocal symptoms with us, so we can help you make informed decisions about how to protect your voice and tailor your lessons accordingly. We are here to help you care for and protect your voice!