VOCALS
HYDRATION: DOES IT REALLY HELP? | Sheri Gould
As I work with singers, I find that most people
don’t really understand or take hydration
seriously. “Not me!!” you say incredulously, but
I wonder…
Lots of people are running around carrying
their bottles of water and that is great. But
there is more to hydration than a lot of people
realize. And despite carrying water around,
and even occasionally drinking it, many-if not
most-singers I know are, at least somewhat,
dehydrated. This lack of hydration has a pretty
devastating effect on the vocal cords and
your ability to function as a singer. According
to a 2018 study in the journal Frontiers in
Physiology. Even mild dehydration can interfere
with a person’s mood or ability to concentrate.
So let’s get into why.
HYDRATION 101:
1. Forms saliva and mucous which among
other things keeps our mouth and vocal
cords moist.
2. Delivers oxygen-essential for life and for
singing!
3. Cushions the brain (and other sensitive
tissue) prolonged dehydration can affect
thinking and reasoning, causing brain fog
and muscle fatigue.
4. Maintains blood pressure.
5. Airways need it. When dehydrated,
airways are restricted by the body in an
effort to minimize water loss. This is a
huge problem for singers!
Although this is hardly an exhaustive list, I hope
it gives you an overall idea of the importance of
staying hydrated. Now let’s looks specifically at
the effects of dehydration on the vocal cords
themselves.
EFFECT OF DEHYDRATION ON VOCAL CORDS
Here’s a little scientific mumbo-jumbo: “Voice
production involves the self-sustained, flowinduced
oscillations of the vocal folds. They
are a layered structure of ligament, muscle
and soft tissue, located within the larynx. Voice
quality strongly depends on the viscoelastic
properties of the vibrating mucosal tissue.”
In other words, hydration is key in properly
caring for your voice. Your vocal cords vibrate
several hundred times per second when you
speak – and even more when you sing. Water
helps thin the mucus that then lubricates and
protects your vocal cords as they vibrate.
In addition, Vocal cord dehydration, induced
by dryness, can reduce the stability of the
voice. This is especially true in higher pitches
as maintaining the proper tension is difficult in
dehydrated vocal cords.
Practically speaking, your cords just don’t
function well if they aren’t lubricated (hydrated)
and vocal cords dehydrate quickly. You can
warm up perfectly, have a regular vocal routine,
eat right, get lots of rest but without proper
hydration, your vocal cords may well fail you at
just the moment you need them.
HOW DO I STAY HYDRATED?
Drinking water is a great way to stay hydrated,
but there are a couple of important caveats.
Guzzling water does not necessarily help you
get and stay hydrated. This is most evident
by noting how often you make a trip to the
bathroom. For example, if you drink a large
amount of water and within 2 hours you find
yourself hitting the bathroom, you may be
eliminating more water than you keep. This is
not a good way to hydrate. Instead, sipping
water throughout the day will help to not
overload your kidneys and allow your body to
absorb more actual H2O. Drinking water before
or during a meal or snack is another good way
to hydrate. Drinking water with amino acids or
fats or vitamins or minerals helps the body to
actually take in more of the water.
There are also drinks that are dehydrating in
and of themselves. Coffee and caffeinated
teas act like a diuretic and can cause you to
eliminate vital fluids. Alcoholic beverages are
also dehydrating. Lemon and other citrus fruit
can be drying to the vocal cords, Mentholated
throat lozenges and cough drops are also
drying. I always use throat lozenges that contain
pectin as an active ingredient (Halls Breezers is
a great example), these accomplish the goal of
calming the throat tissues as well as hydrating.
A FINAL NOTE
What and how you breathe affects your
hydration as well. Breathing moisturized
air is very effective in keeping the mucous
membranes of the nose, mouth and throat
lubricated. Keeping the mucous membranes
lubricated is not only essential for smooth
function but also for keeping you healthy. So,
you may need to assess the quality/moisture
level of the air you are taking in. Perhaps you
need to employ a vaporizer or humidifier to
get a healthy level of humidity in your home
or workplace? Another important aspect of
breathing is to always breathe through your
nose (when possible). This is effective for health
reasons as well as maintaining a proper level of
moisture internally.
God Bless you as you stay hydrated, keep your
voice healthy and sing for Him!
Sheri Gould
Sheri is an internationally acclaimed vocal coach.
She’s been helping artists and worshipers find their
voice for over 40 years. For help and resources visit
her site.
www.SheriGould.com
40 August 2020
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