Ways to Keep Your Voice Healthy

Expert advice to help you sing, speak and care for your vocal cords

Whether you love to sing, you give regular talks or you just want to care for your vocal cords, there are steps you can take to keep your voice smooth, strong and healthy.

You might expect vocal problems to strike people with particular callings, like singers or teachers — and of course they do. But if you’re attending online meetings for hours a day, you can also strain your vocal cords.

“Your voice can change due to frequent throat clearing, coughing, yelling, smoking or from not drinking enough water,” says Mark Harlor, speech language pathologist at Geisinger.

Build habits that are good for the voice:

Drink smart

Drinking water can keep your vocal cords healthy by hydrating the body and the voice box (larynx). Sprays won’t coat your vocal cords, though — you have to lubricate them from within. When you’re properly hydrated, your vocal cords will work more efficiently, which improves the quality of your voice.

“Excessive consumption of carbonated drinks is bad for your voice, so consume them in moderation,” says Mr. Harlor. “They can result in reflux, which irritates the fine tissue in your throat and around your vocal box.”

Avoiding alcohol will also keep your voice healthy. Alcohol dries out your body — including your voice box.

Maintain a healthy diet and avoid irritating foods

A healthy, varied diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins will help your whole body as well as your voice. For a healthy voice, avoid consuming a lot of:

Fatty foods
Spicy foods
Citrus foods and drinks
Tomato-based foods
Chocolate
Peppermints

In large quantities, these foods and drinks can worsen acid reflux in some people and result in a voice disorder.

Use a humidifier

Run a humidifier in dry climates or in winter when indoor heating drops the humidity. Use humidifiers in rooms where you spend most of your time, like your bedroom. Healthcare professionals recommend 30% humidity in living spaces to help your voice.

Put your voice to good use — and rest it

Certain common, daily activities can strain your vocal box. For ongoing protection, actively rest your voice.

“When you feel your voice box becoming strained or tired, take a ‘mini voice break’ by not talking for 5 to 10 minutes,” says Mr. Harlor. “This will allow your vocal cords to recover so your voice doesn’t sound hoarse or raspy.”

Avoid straining your voice through excessive loud shouting or screaming. Are you an online gamer and like to yell in the heat of moment? One study found children who play games online are more likely to have voice problems because of all that screaming. And it’s not just loud sounds that cause issues — whispering is also hard on your voice. At the first sign of throat discomfort, pain or hoarseness, be sure to give your voice a rest.

Try not to clear your throat

Clearing your throat is one of the most common forms of irritation to your vocal folds, particularly in people who have a hoarse voice. “Instead of clearing your throat, consider swallowing your own saliva or sipping a little water,” says Mr. Harlor.

Best practices for your voice

When you sing, always warm up with simple activities such as humming, chanting or softly making the sound of a siren using the letter M.

“You should also perform the same exercises after singing to cool your voice down,” says Mr. Harlor.

Limit your singing commitments because frequent or daily singing reduces your vocal flexibility and strains your voice box. If you’re speaking or singing to a crowd, use technology, not your vocal cords, to raise the volume.

“Using a microphone is a great way to protect your voice when you must speak over long distances or over a lot of background noise,” says Mr. Harlor.

Avoid smoking in any form

Whether you smoke yourself or have secondhand exposure, smoke is terrible for your voice. “Vaping isn’t safer,” adds Mr. Harlor. “Studies show vaping hurts the lining of your airway and vocal folds that create sound.”

When to speak up

Here are some warning signs that mean it’s time to see a specialist:

Hoarseness lasting for more than 2 to 3 weeks
Needing to strain to produce your voice
Difficulty making your voice louder
Pain in your voice box during or after speaking or singing
Difficulty singing higher notes

“If you think you might have a voice box condition, talk to your family doctor,” says Mr. Harlor. Your doctor can refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT or otolaryngologist), who’ll thoroughly assess your voice box structure and movement. Depending on the results, they may refer you to a speech language pathologist specializing in voice evaluation and therapy.

“We’ll work with you to strengthen and protect your voice in a way that works best for you,” says Mr. Harlor.