005 How to Keep Your Voice Hydrated Efficiently

02/05/21 • 16 min

1 Listener

Today I want to talk about hydration - why it is so important, how to hydrate our voice, how we know we are dehydrated, and what should we do if we are? I'm offering you solid tips to ensure you are adequately hydrated and enjoy optimum vocal health.

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

What systemic and superficial hydration are and how they work
Why hydration doesn't come just from fluids
How much and when we should drink fluids
Consistency as key to a stable hydration
Top tips for systemic and superficial hydration

Keeping ourselves hydrated is a complex, but not a complicated process. With a proper diet, awareness of our vocal mechanism, knowing the fluids that count, and keeping in mind the relevance of superficial and systemic hydration, we can keep our voice healthy and optimally hydrated.

Thanks goes to Jack Evans for creating the music for The Voice Coach Podcast!

Resources:

VocalMist Nebulizer https://myvocalmist.com/products/vocalmist-portable-nebulizer
Join my Facebook group Voice & Accent Hub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceandaccenthubb
Find me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA6sEJJZohM

Mentioned in this episode:

Get my book here

Buy Nic's Book

Head to onthemicbook.com to get your copy now

Get my book here

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

What systemic and superficial hydration are and how they work
Why hydration doesn't come just from fluids
How much and when we should drink fluids
Consistency as key to a stable hydration
Top tips for systemic and superficial hydration

Thanks goes to Jack Evans for creating the music for The Voice Coach Podcast!

Resources:

VocalMist Nebulizer https://myvocalmist.com/products/vocalmist-portable-nebulizer
Join my Facebook group Voice & Accent Hub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceandaccenthubb
Find me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA6sEJJZohM

Mentioned in this episode:

Get my book here

Buy Nic's Book

Head to onthemicbook.com to get your copy now

Get my book here

Previous Episode

004 How to Warm Up Your Voice in 5 Minutes

Today we discuss why you should find time to do a voice warm-up and why it's important for those who work with their voices. I will also walk you through a small, focused and applicable five-minutes warm-up routine. A short and precise voice warm-up will not only prepare your voice to work, but will also help you to set your nerves before speaking in front of the mic.

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

How much time vocal warm-up routines require
The best way to add a new habit into our routines
How to increase your vocal stamina, the clarity of public speaking and confidence
Working with ease, fun and curiosity
Step by step voice warm-up routine

Voice warm-ups should ideally last more than five minutes and less than fifteen. Those voice users that have their schedules flooded can try the warm-up example from this episode, pick and cut parts and replace them with different exercises. You can also use it as a preparation ritual before performing.

Big thanks to Jack Evans for creating the music for this podcast!

Resources:

Nic's Quick Voice Tips - 5 minute warm up support video https://youtu.be/SX6LSr8qJp8
Freeing the Natural Voice by Kristen Linklater https://amzn.to/3nDZwyp
Speaking with Skill by Dudley Knight https://amzn.to/3nA3w2T
Finding Your Voice by Barbara Houseman https://amzn.to/3buQt0a
The Vocal Arts Workbook by David & Rebecca Carey https://amzn.to/2MW3iqi
Fitzmaurice Voice Work Website https://fitzmauricevoiceworksummit.online
Join my Facebook group Voice & Accent Hub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceandaccenthubb

Mentioned in this episode:

Get my book here

Buy Nic's Book

Head to onthemicbook.com to get your copy now

Get my book here

Next Episode

006 How to Improve Your Voice with a Vocal Cool Down

In this episode, I want to talk about a different aspect of vocal health, neglected for some and appreciated for others: the vocal cool-down. Just as in any sport, some movements are necessary before and after every performance to reset the body. We will go through an easy to follow step-by-step routine to perform a perfect vocal cool-down.

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

Why vocal cool-down is important
The impact of vocal cool-down on professional voice users
The step-by-step vocal cool-down routine
How to transition from a heightened physical state back to our senses

Research on vocal cool-downs is still in its infancy, but so far it has not shown any negative outcomes. That means that a vocal cool-down might have different levels of impact on vocal users, but it's something we must try and experience for the sake of our vocal health.

Thanks to Jack Evans for creating the music for The Voice Coach Podcast!

Resources:

The Efficacy of Cool Down Exercises by Kari Ragen (originally published in the Journal of Voice) 2018 https://www.nats.org/_Library/JOS_On_Point/JOS-074-5-2018-521_-_Efficacy_of_Vocal_Cool-Down_-_Ragan.pdf
The Impact of Vocal Cool-down Exercises: A Subjective Study of Singers' and Listeners' Perceptions 2016 https://www.jvoice.org/article/S0892-1997(15)00227-1/abstract
The Value of Vocal Warm-up and Cool-down Exercises: Questions and Controversies by Rima A. De Fatta and Robert T. Sataloff, (Journal of Singing) 2012 http://www.vocapedia.info/_Library/JOS_files_Vocapedia/JOS-069-2-2012-173.pdf
3 point neck stretch - Nic's Quick Voice Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA6sEJJZohM
The Vocal Cool Down, Your Secret Weapon by Dane Chalfin, vocal rehab expert https://www.vocalrehabilitation.com/post/the-vocal-cool-down-your-secret-weapon
Join my Facebook group Voice & Accent Hub: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thevoiceandaccenthubb

Mentioned in this episode:

Get my book here

Buy Nic's Book

Head to onthemicbook.com to get your copy now

Get my book here