1. Do not smoke tobacco of any kind. Avoid smoky environments.

2. Always warm up and cool down. Try lip or tongue trills up and down your range and/or quietly humming five-note descending mid-range scales.

3. Eliminate throat clearing. It causes vocal irritation or swelling. Sip water.

4. Limit alcohol. Sip water during wine or other alcohol intake.

5. Avoid vocally abusive behaviors.

• Decrease overall daily speaking volume.
• No shouting or yelling.
• Watch excessive phone talking, particularly on cell phones.
• Limit whispering. It may actually harm and dry the vocal mechanism.
• Don’t talk in the presence of a lot of background noise.
• Don’t try to deliver talk or sing when you have a cold or laryngitis.

6. Avoid mouthwash. If you must gargle, use mouthwash without alcohol or use warm salt water.

7. Good posture counts. It produces good airflow & reduced tension/strain.

8. Move regularly. Stretching, and moderate exercise assists vocal health.

9. Sleep sufficiently and well. Without healthy sleep the throat suffers.

10. Hydration matters. Try to drink 8, 8-ounce glasses (two liters) of water per day. Drink more with intake of caffeine, alcohol, or if you are exercising. Hydration can aid recovery after throat infection or discomfort.

11. Eliminate dairy and caffeine directly before vocal presentations.

© VOICEMentoring™