How to Get Your Voice Back
Summer is over and it is time to get back to the grind.
You may have had some liberties that voice overs don’t normally do on a regular work week – like staying out late, drinking a bit more than a glass of wine, eating sweets, drowning yourself in coffee, and maybe even smoking, making you susceptible to losing your voice.
The increase intake of alcohol or caffeinated beverages, staying out late, not getting enough rest, and working your voice too hard can cause dehydration and fatigue that contribute to a froggy voice.
So what can you do to help recover your voice quickly and get back inside your studio?
Definitely you need to REST.
When your throat starts to feel itchy and speaking becomes an effort, you should stop speaking right away. Even talking in a soft voice can actually make it worst as it strains your vocal chords, so seclude yourself or avoid engaging in a conversation. If you must, carry around a notebook or use a text-to-speech app. Let your voice heal by being silent.
A factor in the strain in your voice is dehydration, so DRINK and stay hydrated.
Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks, and drink plenty of water. Cranberry juice can help loosen the mucus. Apple cider vinegar also works great with sore throat. It contains natural antibacterial properties which fight the infection, and like cranberry juice it is a natural expectorant that loosens and thins the mucus or phlegm present in the throat. This helps you breathe and swallow easily. Sip it in small amounts several times a day with water. Warm tea with honey also soothes without drying your throat.
It is necessary to take PROPER MEDICATION.
Avoid menthol cough drops or throat lozenges, the cooling effect you feel in your throat is the evaporation of alcohol that leads to more dryness and irritation. Use fruit-based or glycerin-based non-mentholated cough drops or candies. When you feel a tickle in your throat, use an expectorant product that does not have ingredients such as dextromethorphan. Consult a doctor before taking any antibiotics, or over-the-counter medicines and expectorants.
Rest, drink and medicate – three things to keep in mind to get your voice back in the pink of health. But here’s a bonus – BLOWING BUBBLES.
This method involves just blowing through a straw. This is an effective relief to your vanishing voice and invigorate your tired voice as it works the muscles that give your voice its regular projection abilities.
But as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As your voice is your “commodity” you should always take measures to take care and not abuse it.
If your vocal problems persists for long periods or you are prone to losing it, it is best to consult with a throat specialist or an ENT (ear, nose, throat specialist).
How do you avoid vocal problems? Do you have a tested cure in recovering your voice? Share it with us below.
