Summer can be hard on your voice and your body with the heat and humidity. You can sound parched and look wilted on camera. If you want to sound great and look polished, try these ten tips. I’ve provided links to some of my other blog posts if you want to read more, but here’s a list for a quick reminder:
1. Keep your vocal tract moist by drinking half your body weight in ounces of decaffeinated, nonalcoholic fluid a day (for more on fluid intake check out this post).
2. If you have allergies or get a summer cold, limit throat clearing and coughing. Did you read this post on the dangers of coughing?
3. Be careful not to yell in noisy environments such as outdoor sporting events or clubs. Yelling can permanently harm your voice.
4. Keep up an exercise program, but if you’re exercising outside and it’s hot, do it early in the morning or late in the evening. Why exercise? It helps develop good breathing, but it does much more. Check this out.
5. Get at least seven hours of sleep each night for good vocal energy. That’s the minimum that doctors recommend. Go for more when you can. And remember that computers and tablets emit blue light that mimics sunlight and can keep you awake. Dim them down at least an hour before bedtime.
6. Ramp up your protein intake for better overall energy and great vocal energy. This blog post explains why and how.
7. Use a pitch that is comfortable and does not cause vocal fatigue. If you get hoarse after a day of voicing, you may be using an unnatural pitch. (Check out this blog post to learn more about pitch.) See a physician if hoarseness, pain, or odd sensations in the throat last for more than two weeks. Take hoarseness seriously.
8. Practice abdominal-diaphragmatic breathing to decrease tension in the laryngeal area. (Check my video or my book, BROADCAST VOICE HANDBOOK, if you’re unclear on what this type of breathing is like.)
9. Use SPF 30 or higher sun cream every day and reapply it every few hours! And if you’re outside much of the day, you can actually make your clothes sun proof with Rit Sun Guard. It’s a washing powder that stays in through 20 washes and blocks more than 96% of harmful rays. Doesn’t change the look or feel of your clothes. I use it, and it’s great!
10. And the most important tip of all: Don’t smoke or expose yourself to the smoke of others. Watch this video if you’re a smoker. It might help you quit!
Want more tips like these? Ck out Broadcaster’s Survival Guide. It’s only $4.99 and loaded with voice and lifestyle tips!
