Vocal Health: What can I do to improve my vocal stamina?

All singers will have periods where their voice feels tired, overworked or just a bit sore. There are many different factors that can tribute to this. Sometimes your voice may simply be tiring quickly because you have a cold; sometimes it may be a result of having been singing in an uncomfortable range. All voices and circumstances are different, so everyone will have different factors that may be contributing to vocal fatigue. However, if you’re someone who knows that they struggle consistently with their vocal health, then here are a few big home truths that are worth considering when you’re using your voice.

There are four key behavioural factors that will have a profound effect on your voice. These tips have nothing to do with vocal technique specifically, but are all elements that will help prepare your voice to be ready to sing effectively and efficiently, and also to help your voice recover after having been given a work out. In essence, we’re answering the question: what can I do to improve my vocal stamina?

Drink water

Hydrate your voice! Keeping your vocal folds hydrated helps to lubricate the folds allowing for optimal vibration with minimal effort. There are two ways you can do this: internally and externally. Hydrating internally is only possible through drinking water. The big question is of course, how much do I need? This will vary from person to person and depending on activity, but the general guidelines are that women need 2L and men need 2.5 L per day. You may notice this aligns with recommended daily calorie intake; you need 1ml of water per calorie burned. 

But that’s all getting a bit technical. No-one’s expecting you to be measuring out your water intake with each drink! But there are a few things that can help ensure you are hydrating effectively. You should drink little and often; your body can’t store water like it can food, excess water will be excreted. Also, the water you drink takes around four hours to reach your vocal folds. So don’t leave hydrating to the last minute before you sing. Little and often.

Steam your voice

The second way you hydrate your voice is externally, and that is done through steaming. Unlike with internal hydration, external hydration – the action of steaming the voice – has an immediate impact. When you steam, you are allowing moisture to settle directly onto the vocal folds. This is particularly effective for vocal recovery; when you’ve been using the voice a lot, steaming will help to immediately lubricate the vocal folds to speed up recovery and reduce the likelihood of any vocal trauma. 

How do you steam? I recommend getting hold of a vocal steamer (Dr Nelson’s Steamer is very effective, but you can also buy cheaper steamers online or from Boots). But steaming your voice in the shower is also very effective – doing a gentle vocal warm up in the shower in the morning is a great way to prepare the voice for a day of singing, despite what the neighbours might say! 

Rest

This is no secret. When your body is tired, your voice will tend to tire quicker when you’re singing. It’s just like any other element of your physical health, early nights and regular sleeping patterns will help keep you in good vocal health. 

Diet

Again, this is the same as any other aspect of your wellbeing; a well balanced diet will keep your voice healthy. However, there is another element to think about here that can impact your vocal health: acid reflux, also known as heartburn or indigestion. The main symptom is a feeling of burning in the chest, which can move up into the throat. The impact on the voice is that the acid that flows up from the stomach, which causes the burning sensation, can cause an irritation and swelling of the vocal folds. How do you relieve acid reflux? There are many suggestions pertaining to diet (e.g. reducing acidic drinks, coffee and fatty foods), but a key behavioural cause can be eating meals late at night, which is a common issue for performers who are working in shows until late in the evening. Avoiding late meals, as well as ensuring you sleep with your head elevated can help reduce the likelihood of acid reflux.

So there you have a few important behavioural elements that can help with your vocal stamina. Alongside these tips, working on your vocal technique is crucial. Your vocal practice should be thought of in a similar way to your water intake. Don’t try and blitz your practice just before you need your voice for performance. Keeping your practice little and often will help to build up your vocal stamina. Keep hydrated, steam, rest up, manage your mealtimes and keep your practice ticking over. Let us know how you’re getting on!