How do I rest my voice properly?

Here are seven suggestions for ways to maintain vocal health for singers.

1. Warm up—and cool down.
2. Hydrate your voice.
3. Humidify your home.
4. Take vocal naps.
5. Avoid harmful substances.
6. Don’t sing from your throat.
7. Don’t sing if it hurts.

Is it good to rest your voice?

Our voice therapists recommend that for every 60 minutes of voice use, you need 10 minutes of voice rest. Overuse can damage the vocal cords, and if you often find you have lost your voice by the end of the day or after an hour of singing, your vocal cords may be experiencing tissue damage.

How long should I let my voice rest?

Typically, your physician will prescribe three to seven days of voice rest after surgery. This means absolutely no talking, throat clearing, whispering, or coughing (if you can avoid it). Any noise that you make can be damaging and may make it difficult for the vocal cords to heal properly.

How do you fix a tired voice?

Some self-care methods may relieve and reduce strain on your voice:

1. Breathe moist air.
2. Rest your voice as much as possible.
3. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (avoid alcohol and caffeine).
4. Moisten your throat.
5. Stop drinking alcohol and smoking, and avoid exposure to smoke.
6. Avoid clearing your throat.

How can I improve my voice clarity?

Practice jaw exercises to enhance clarity of speech.

1. Make wide chewing motions while humming gently.
2. Stretch every muscle in your jaw and face.
3. Open your mouth wide, as in the previous exercise, and shut it again.
4. Make a buzzing sound with your lips together, but don’t clench your jaw.

Why do I have such a soft voice?

Sometimes a quiet speaking voice has a physical cause, such as a weakness in the vocal cords or a respiratory condition. Similarly, some people just tend to mumble or talk too fast if they’re not concentrating on speaking clearly. If you don’t talk to people very often, your voice may grow weak from lack of use.