If you live in a more northerly clime the onset of winter can have a profound effect on your voice. As air temperatures drop the amount of water the air can hold drops as well, and this is what passes through our vocal folds with every inhalation. The dry air can draw moisture out of our body and reduce the lubrication on the vocal folds with the following efffects:
- Loss of highest notes
- Loss of singing rapid note changes (flexibility)
- Voice strain to compensate for the above
- Increased chance of vocal injury (trauma)
- Increased change of illness (virus)
Here are some ways to counteract these effects and winterize your voice:
Put enough water into your body
Drink enough water
How much is enough? Your body weight divided by two equals the number of ounces of water your body generally needs on a daily basis. If you are doing a lot of activity causing you to sweat, or if it is winter and every breath is sucking the moisture from your body, you need even more. I like to fill a large container in the morning and work through it by supper (if I drink later than that it will interrupt my sleep)
Prevent Unnecessary Loss of Water
Our bodies operate best in humidity levels from 35-50%, lower end in winter, higher in summer. Buy yourself a humidistat to get an exact measurement, but if you are getting static shocks from your carpet or waking in the morning feeling dry, you could use some extra humidity.
Run a portable humidifier at night near your bed
This can make a big difference, breathing humid air for the number of hours that you sleep. As you rest your body can replenish your mucous membranes more easily.
Shower with the bathroom door open and exhaust fan off
If your social situation allows, why let all that moisture go to waste? Let it hydrate the living space!
On the dry cycle, open the dishwasher
For the same reason as the shower, let the moisture spread throughout your space.
Hang your clothes inside to dry
Get an inexpensive clothes rack and let the dry air do the work. Avoiding use of an electrical dryer will save money and is more green!
Had a bath? Don’t drain the tub immediately
Let the bath water moisture the air.
When outside in the cold, breath through your nose
Your nasal passages will rapidly warm and moisturizer the air before it hits your vocal folds. Of course, if you are not drinking enough water, this will not work as well.
Portable humidifier at your work desk
If you can get away with it, run it beside your chair and get at least some benefit
Quick-Fix: Honey
And if you are in a situation where you need to deal with a dry throat immediately, warm-up some honey and swallow it, allowing it to slowly coat the back of your throat and seal in some moisture. If you are fighting a possible virus or infection, try some cayenne pepper in the honey (I have felt it ‘burn off’ a rough spot on the back of my throat after several applications)
