Chill Out and Sing! Five Wintertime Tips to Keep Your Voice Healthy and Strong in the Cold.
The Cleveland winter keeps on coming, but don't let it silence all you vocalists out there. Here are a few tips that will lift your voice up while the snow falls.
Warm Up! Cold air slows down your circulatory system, and limits the amount of oxygen that gets through your body. Be sure to properly and thoroughly warm up early and often - not just before you sing.
Thaw Out! Did you know that 90% of the heat that leaves your body in cold weather comes from your head? Make sure your winter hats and scarfs are on before you venture out, and that all the muscles in your face are warm and ready to go - they're an important part of your instrument!
The Melted Stuff's Good! The winter months are notorious for making the air very dry, so don't forget to hydrate yourself. Plenty of water is a great idea, but also remember to keep your skin moisturized - singing with chapped lips is no fun. Look into a good humidifier for your home. It makes a huge difference.
Too Hot! Many vocalists find that a cup of tea or hot water help before displaying their singing chops, but don't go overboard. Drinking liquids hotter than your body temperature (98.6 degrees) right before singing actually hurts your voice instead of helping it. Also - if you need a drink during a performance, make sure its water, and that its around room temperature.
Sing Safe! Unfortunately, winter is also the season of the Flu, and no matter how hard you try to fight it, chances are you'll get sick at some point. When your sick, your body weakens all around, because energy is diverted to the immune system to fight those nasty viruses. It's important that if and when you get sick, you give your voice plenty of rest, and refrain from over-singing. This is for your safety, as well as the safety of everyone around you who doesn't want your germs!
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