How to look after our singing voices during the winter

'Tis the Season to be jolly! So no sore throats wanted here! Spread joy though song this year with Sing Star MKs top tips to beating the chill and keeping those festive voices singing "Simply having a wonderful Christmas Time"!     Sleep - This is the best healer for a tired voice. Rest the voice and try not to speak too much. Some people try whispering but we at Sing Stars dont recommend that as in truth this pushes the chords together in a harder way than your usual speech. Just try resting your voice and trying not to speak.  Atmosphere - Try to stay in a well ventilated room away from draughts and sudden temperature changes. A dry atmosphere is not good for the throat. Keep away from smoky rooms and absolutely NO SMOKING! Warmth - Make sure you keep yourselves warm. If going into the cold wear a scarf around your neck. I know only too well how performing on stage warm and sweating and then going into a cold tour bus or room so I always make sure I have scarves with me at this time of year. Fluids - Keep up your fluid intake this time of year, it re-hydrates your whole body! Try to stay away from ice cold drinks and fizzy drinks. Room temperature water is best. Your vocal chords all nicely warmed up and then being blasted by ice water is the same as going for a jog and then jumping into a cold lake. Your expanded muscles will not be happy with this and you will get problems. Steaming - We recommend a 10 minute steam twice a day when you are using your voice alot. Christmas is an exceptionally busy time for performers and therefore a steamer is a great option to sooth a tired voice. Steam inhalation helps move phlegm that sticks to your vocal cords. So great for winter chills. Diet - Try to eat foods that have a high water content, Fresh fruit and vegetables must be on your shopping lists in the winter when sore voices are around. Try to avoid dairy foods - sorry no chocolate or cheese! They induce the phlegm we are trying to remove. Throat Lozenges - These should only be used when your voice is out of use. When you are not singing! Throat Lozenges soothe and anaesthetise. If you sing while the anaesthetic is still in effect you will push your voice and make it worse. It merely masks the pain but in the long run makes the pain worse. Steer away from using these. If you do need them we recommend Vocalzones. Remedy Drink - A good drink to have if your voice is sore is a mixture of 1 tsp of honey, 1 tsp of lemon and a couple of slices of frsh ginger mixed together in hot water. Ginger is good for sore throats as it is an anti-inflammatory. Lemon cuts through phlegm and honey is soothing so each of these ingredients stand alone or together in hotwater is a great remedy drink. Warm up - When you feel like your voice has sufficiently rested try some gentle warm up before you start singing again. Do not push your voice or go to the outer perimeters of your range straight away. Be patient with your voice after a cold or sore throat, it will take time to regain your usual vocal stamina. What ever you do to remedy your sore throats and voices through the winter months always remember that a GOOD TECHNIQUE is the best preventative medicine you can apply. If you would like to learn more about vocal techniques and to develop your voice please contact Sing Stars MK. We provide singing lessons for children in Milton Keynes aged from 5-16. We also run a Childrens Singing Club where children can learn to sing with good techniques while meeting friends, boosting their confidence and exploring their love of singing and performing! Please email us if you would like to subscribe to our Newsletter, with more tips on singing , news about Sing Stars and lots more..  www.kaleyentertainments.wix.com/singstars

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