❄️ Winter to early spring vocal conditioning and vocal care

🎤 Seasonal voice care based on medical and anatomical science

From winter to early spring, the drop in temperature and humidity causes the vocal cords (the fold-like vocal organs in the larynx) and airway mucosa to dry out, making it a season when voice problems are more likely to occur.

Research in voice medicine has shown that symptoms such as "hoarseness," "difficulty in speaking," and "getting tired easily" can be explained anatomically and physiologically, and can be prevented or alleviated with appropriate vocal care.

🤔 The physical mechanism that makes it difficult to produce voice in winter

Voice is produced when exhaled air from the lungs vibrates the vocal cords in the larynx, and the sound is amplified and conditioned in the oral and nasal cavities (resonance chambers) (Benninger, 2010).

Therefore, the quality of your voice depends heavily on three things:

💨 “Breathing”

🎵 "Vocal cord condition"

📢 "Resonance chamber environment"

In winter, the cold and dry air can easily remove moisture from the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, such as the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, and trachea , resulting in throat discomfort, dryness, coughing, and hoarseness (Huttunen & Rantala, 2019).

In particular, when the mucous membrane on the surface of the vocal cords dries out, the flexibility required for vibration decreases, and extra muscle tension and expiratory pressure are required when speaking. This is the true cause of "difficulty in producing voice" and "feeling like you're straining your voice" (Benninger, 2010; Huttunen & Rantala, 2019).

💧 Throat and Airway Care: Drinks, Environment, and Lifestyle

💦 Frequent hydration is essential

The condition of the vocal fold mucosa is strongly influenced not only by local care but also by the hydration status of the whole body , and therefore, frequent hydration is recommended as a fundamental vocal hygiene practice for professional voice users and singers (Stachler et al., 2018; Martins et al., 2024).

🏠 Keep indoor humidity at 50-60%

Maintaining indoor humidity levels at around 50-60% may help prevent the airway mucosa from drying out due to inhaled air, thereby reducing throat discomfort and voice problems (Huttunen & Rantala, 2019).

☕ The benefits of hot drinks and steam

It has also been suggested that inhaling hot drinks or steam can increase blood flow to the upper airway and have a positive effect on vocal fluency (Huttunen & Rantala, 2019).

⚠️ Drinks to be careful with

On the other hand, caution is advised against consuming alcohol or excessive caffeine, as these have a diuretic effect and can reduce the amount of water in the body, potentially contributing to dryness of the vocal cords (Benninger, 2010; Martins et al., 2024).

🫁 Breathing and vocal exercises (for beginners)

The voice is stabilized not by the vocal cords alone, but by the coordinated movement of the respiratory muscles (diaphragm and abdominal muscles) and larynx . Several review studies have shown that breathing exercises may contribute to improving vocal function (Desjardins & Bonilha, 2020; De Souza Leão et al., 2022).

🌟 Recommended for beginners

Two that are considered safe and effective for beginners are:

✅ Practice steady exhalation using abdominal breathing

✅ SOVTE (Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises)

🎶What is SOVTE?

SOVTE involves lip rolling and straw phonation, which are believed to regulate the pressure in the vocal tract by narrowing the mouth opening, reducing the impact on the vocal cords and regulating vibration (Oliveira et al., 2022; Narin et al., 2023).

🎯 Professional Warm-Up and Cool-Down

🔥 The importance of warming up

It has been reported that singers and choral members who make warm-up a habit experience fewer vocal problems and fatigue (Levett & Pring, 2023).

A typical warm-up includes:

🧘 Gentle stretching around the neck, shoulders, and jaw 🫁 Abdominal breathing 🎵 SOVTE 🗣️ Low-impact vowel vocalization

etc. (Benninger, 2010; Oliveira et al., 2022; Narin et al., 2023)

😌 Cooling down is also important

Cooling down after speaking has also been attracting attention as a way to reduce tension in the vocal cords and perilaryngeal muscles and promote recovery from fatigue (Narin et al., 2023).

One particularly effective method is the "yawn and sigh" vocalization , which has been reported to naturally return the larynx to a lower position and release excessive tension (Narin et al., 2023).

🏥 Guidelines for medical consultation

If hoarseness or difficulty producing voice persists for more than four weeks or is accompanied by pain, difficulty breathing, or a neck lump, a laryngeal evaluation by an ENT specialist is recommended (Stachler et al., 2018).

⚠️ Early medical attention is important, especially if you have a history of smoking.

✨ Summary

From winter to early spring, the cold, dry air dries out the vocal cords and airway mucosa, making vocal efficiency prone to decline.

The following are medically sound seasonal vocal care practices:

💧 Drink plenty of water 💨 Humidify ☕ Warm air environment 🎵 Gentle breathing and vocal exercises 🔥 Make warm-up and cool-down routines a habit

This article is based on anatomical and physiological evidence and is based on clinical guidelines in the field of otolaryngology and peer-reviewed research articles in the fields of voice medicine and voice therapy.

Let's all take care of our throats and sing our favorite songs 🎶