Hydration And Harmony: How Drinking Water Benefits Your Voice
Author: Jesse Nerenberg, Reg. CASLPO, Speech-Language Pathologist
Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Table of Contents
Introduction
We all use our voices as we navigate our day-to-day lives, but some of us use them more than others. I usually refer to these folks as 'professional voice users' or 'heavy voice users'. This umbrella term captures more people than you may initially suspect!
While some may be obvious, such as actors or singers, there are many other people who use their voices throughout the day. For example, I have worked with teachers, real estate agents, money managers, psychotherapists, and more, all of whom I would label as 'professional' voice users. Why? Because they rely on their voices to do their jobs, inspire confidence in clients/students, and speak for several hours every single working day. A teacher who loses her voice is just as incapacitated as a singer experiencing vocal fatigue before a big show.
Over the years, I've noticed a common trend among many 'heavy users' who experience voice issues: a lack of a strong hydration regimen. Hydration is a key component of what we, as Speech Pathologists, refer to as good 'vocal hygiene'. Just as an elite athlete needs to take care of their muscles, a heavy voice user needs to pay special attention to the care of their voice.
The Benefits of Water on the Voice
Hydration Keeps Your Vocal Cords Lubricated:
Your vocal cords, located in your larynx or voice box, are delicate structures composed of layers of mucous membrane stretched across muscle. Just like any other muscle in your body, they require proper hydration to function effectively. When you're dehydrated, your vocal cords can become dry and irritated, leading to hoarseness, strain, and even vocal damage. Think of your vocal cords like the strings of a guitar. When the strings are well-lubricated, they vibrate smoothly and produce clear, resonant sounds. However, when the strings are dry, they become brittle and produce a harsh, unpleasant tone. Similarly, when your vocal cords lack moisture, your voice may sound raspy or crackly.
Water Helps Maintain Vocal Elasticity:
The elasticity of your vocal cords is essential for producing a wide range of pitches and tones. When you're properly hydrated, your vocal cords remain flexible, allowing them to stretch and contract smoothly as you speak or sing. This flexibility enables you to modulate your voice with ease, whether you're hitting high notes or speaking softly. On the other hand, dehydration can cause your vocal cords to stiffen, limiting their range of motion and making it difficult to produce certain sounds. This can result in vocal fatigue and strain, particularly during prolonged speaking engagements or performances.
Improves Vocal Endurance:
Whether you're giving a long presentation or performing a two-hour concert, vocal endurance is crucial for maintaining clarity and consistency in your voice. Adequate hydration helps sustain your vocal stamina by preventing fatigue and supporting efficient vocal production. When you're well-hydrated, your vocal cords remain supple and resilient, allowing you to sustain your voice for extended periods without experiencing strain or discomfort. This is why so many heavy voice users who seek treatment share the common trait of not drinking enough water."
Reduces Vocal Strain and Damage:
One of the most significant benefits of drinking water for your voice is its ability to reduce vocal strain and prevent vocal damage. When your vocal cords are hydrated, they are less prone to inflammation and injury, even during intense or prolonged use. Conversely, dehydration can lead to vocal strain, causing the muscles surrounding the larynx to tighten in an effort to compensate for the lack of moisture.
Enhances Vocal Clarity and Resonance:
Our vocal folds don’t function in isolation, just as the strings of a guitar don’t vibrate floating in space. They work within a system where the voice bounces off the walls of our throat as it exits our mouths. This is known as voice resonance, similar to how the hollow body of a guitar allows the sound to bounce around, resulting in a fuller and richer quality. When you're well-hydrated, the mucous membranes lining your throat and mouth remain moist, creating an ideal environment for sound production. This allows your voice to resonate more effectively, resulting in a richer, more vibrant tone.
Supports Vocal Health and Recovery:
In addition to its preventive benefits, hydration also supports vocal health and aids in the recovery from vocal strain or injury. Whether you've been pushing your voice to the limit or you're recovering from a bout of laryngitis, drinking plenty of water can help speed up the healing process and restore your voice to its optimal condition. By staying hydrated, you give your voice the best possible chance to recover from overuse or injury, allowing you to return to peak performance more quickly.
Improves Overall Well-Being:
Lastly, staying hydrated has numerous benefits for your overall health and well-being, which indirectly impact the use of your voice. Proper hydration supports proper circulation, boosts energy levels, and enhances cognitive function, all of which are essential for effective communication. When you're well-hydrated, you feel more alert, focused, and energetic, allowing you to engage with your clients or students more effectively and convey your message with confidence. Additionally, staying hydrated helps prevent dry mouth and throat, which can hinder articulation and diminish the quality of your voice.
The “myth” of 8 glasses a day
You may be thinking, 'This is all well and good, but how much water should I be drinking?' There is the common old adage of drinking “8 glasses” of water a day, but this isn’t exactly accurate. What I tell clients is to drink so they never feel thirsty and to 'pee pale'. When we feel thirsty, our body is telling us we need to drink, indicating we're already lacking hydration. In a sense, it’s like an alarm going off after the fire has started. Particularly for heavy voice users, we want to bypass the fire altogether. Drinking before we get that sensation of feeling thirsty will help ensure proper hydration.
And while it may seem a little bit gross, the best litmus test to see how well hydrated you are is to monitor your urine, or 'pee pale' as I like to say. Urination is a key bodily function that helps expel waste. The more you drink, the more liquid there is available to help expel those toxins, and consequently the more you will pee. In someone who is well hydrated, their urine will be a very pale yellow, almost clear. In someone who is not so well hydrated, their urine will be much darker in color. The next time you need to use the restroom, take a second to monitor your urine, because it is the best indicator of how well hydrated you are.
This brings us to the big nefarious enemy of good hydration.
Caffeine
Confession time: I love coffee. I drink it all day long. Many people enjoy a nice hot cup of caffeinated coffee or tea in the morning to feel awake and alert. It’s delicious, it’s comforting, and it’s a nefarious saboteur to keeping you well hydrated. This may seem counterintuitive, because coffee and tea are mostly made up of water. However, when it also contains caffeine, it actually makes you pee more than you would otherwise, and lose more moisture from your body. This is because caffeine is what is known as a 'diuretic', meaning it encourages 'diuresis' (the increased production of urine). While caffeine will not physically pull moisture out of your body, the increased urine production means more of it is being released at a faster rate. In short, the more caffeine you drink, the more water you will need to drink to stay properly hydrated.
What do I do now!
Developing a good hydration regimen is not always as simple as “just drink more water”. Having worked with many clients for whom this is a priority/goal, I’ve seen different paths to success. The key is to develop a strategy of some sort, to keep you accountable. For almost everyone I advise them to buy a water bottle of some sort, ideally one you can bring with you to work or school and have nearby at any time. For some people, that means keeping it in the car (like for a real estate agent driving between different properties), for others that means keeping one at your desk at work. Find a bottle that you will actually enjoy drinking out of (whether it’s your favourite colour, or it has some sort of cool feature like a built-in straw or insulated steel walls). It may be just a water bottle, but if you’re building a new habit, doing so with a vessel you actually enjoy using might make all the difference.
You also need a way to remind yourself to drink if you live a busy life, where you might not have the bandwidth to remember to hydrate. Some people use hourly alarms on their phone or smart watch, teachers may make it a habit to make sure to drink water between each class they teach, or a psychotherapist may do so between each client they see during the day. A real estate agent I worked with developed the habit to take a few big sips of water every time he got in his car to drive to another location. Whatever will work best for you is the route to take, the important thing is to integrate it into your routine in some way.
And if you’re a coffee fiend like me? Consider switching some coffees to decaf if you are having multiple cups over the course of the day. Without the caffeine, that decaffeinated coffee actually counts as drinking water! So, you don’t necessarily have to give up that afternoon trip to Starbucks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, drinking water is essential for maintaining a healthy and vibrant voice. Whether you're a professional vocalist, public speaker, or just someone who values clear and effective communication, staying hydrated is key to unlocking the full potential of your voice.
By keeping your vocal cords lubricated, flexible, and resilient, water enables you to speak or sing with clarity, power, and endurance. So, the next time you reach for a beverage, remember that a glass of water is not only refreshing but also a vital tool for nurturing and protecting your voice. Drink up, and let your voice be heard!
To speak with a psychotherapist or one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.
