Singing requires proper vocal preparation and technique to avoid straining or damaging your voice. There are certain habits and activities that should be avoided in the hours leading up to a singing performance or practice session. Knowing what to avoid can help ensure your voice sounds its best and prevent vocal fatigue or injury.
Why vocal rest is important before singing
Your vocal cords need to be well-rested, hydrated, and warmed up properly to sing your best. Just like an athlete wouldn’t show up to a big game without stretching and hydrating, singers need to prepare their voice for the demands of singing. The muscles in your larynx and vocal cords need to be flexible and relaxed to produce clear, resonant tones. Fatigue, dehydration, irritation, or excessive muscle tension can limit your range, power, stamina, and vocal control.
Proper vocal rest, hydration, and warmups are key to keeping your voice in optimal condition for singing. Avoiding certain behaviors and irritants beforehand reduces unnecessary strain and fatigue. While you can’t put your voice completely at rest, you can limit vocally-taxing activities in the hours leading up to singing.
Avoid dehydrating liquids before singing
Staying hydrated is extremely important for vocal health, but not all beverages hydrate your vocal cords equally. Drinks containing alcohol and caffeine can have a dehydrating effect. Other acidic drinks like citrus juices can irritate the delicate mucous membranes in your throat. Here are some beverages to avoid in the 3-4 hours before singing:
Alcohol
Alcohol is drying and irritating to your vocal cords. It can cause inflammation of your vocal cords (laryngitis) and make your throat feel dry, scratchy, or sore. Avoid drinking any alcoholic beverages in the hours leading up to singing.
Coffee and caffeinated drinks
Like alcohol, caffeine has a drying effect and can cause vocal cord dehydration. The diuretic effect of caffeine also causes more frequent urination, contributing to dehydration. Avoid coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks before singing.
Citrus juices
The high acid content in juices like orange, grapefruit, or lemon can irritate your throat. While citrus juice is fine to drink normally, avoid it in the few hours before you need to use your voice.
Carbonation
The bubbles in carbonated drinks like soda or sparkling water can cause bloating. This increases stomach pressure against your diaphragm and makes it harder to control your breathing for singing. Avoid carbonation before singing.
Milk and dairy
Like citrus drinks, milk and other dairy products are acidic and can increase mucous production. Extra mucous in your throat is not ideal for singing clearly. While a smoothie or latte may seem soothing to your voice, dairy is best avoided pre-performance.
Eat a light, non-irritating pre-singing meal
What you eat can impact your singing voice too. A heavy meal right before singing can make you feel sluggish and lethargic. It also requires more blood flow to your stomach, diverting it from your vocal cords. Eat a light meal 2-3 hours beforehand and avoid spicy, greasy, or acidic foods that could irritate your throat. Here are some meal guidelines:
Eat early
Allow yourself plenty of time to digest your food before singing—at least 2-3 hours. Eating too soon before singing can cause reflux, bloating, or coughing.
Avoid heavy foods
Fatty, greasy, and protein-heavy foods require longer digestion. Stick to lighter fare like salads, veggies, and whole grains.
Avoid spicy and acidic foods
Spicy foods can irritate your throat, especially if you have acid reflux. Acidic foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vinegar can also cause irritation.
Stay hydrated
Sip water throughout your pre-singing meal to aid digestion and keep your throat moist.
Limit dairy
As mentioned earlier, dairy is mucous-producing. Limit milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products before singing.
Avoid gum and hard candy
Chewing stimulates saliva production, which can temporarily thicken mucous and make clearing your throat more difficult right before singing.
Don’t smoke or vape before singing
Smoking and vaping are extremely damaging and drying to the vocal cords. The heat and chemical irritation can cause swelling of the vocal cords and make your voice hoarse. Always avoid smoking or vaping in the 24 hours leading up to singing. Your vocal health and performance will benefit tremendously.
Limit talking and vocally-taxing activities
Your voice needs adequate rest before the demands of singing. Avoid prolonged periods of talking, phone calls, meetings, teaching, or yelling/cheering. Give your voice a break in the final hours before singing. Also be mindful of vocal habits like throat clearing, coughing, yelling, or mimicking sounds. All of these can strain and fatigue your vocal cords before singing.
Avoid environmental irritants
Exposure to dry air, pollutants, and allergens can affect your voice too. Here are some tips:
Use a humidifier
Keeping the air at home or in your hotel room humidified prevents vocal cord dryness. Shoot for around 50% humidity if possible.
Limit exposure to smoke, chemicals, etc.
Avoid smoky venues, busy roads, and chemical fumes that can irritate your throat.
Manage allergies
Allergy flare ups can make your vocal cords swollen and mucousy. Take your regular allergy meds to reduce irritation.
Avoid very cold, dry air
Breathing in very cold, dry air can dry out your vocal cords. Cover your mouth with a scarf outdoors.
Don’t over-practice and strain your voice before a performance
It’s important to rehearse and know your material, but resist the temptation to do lengthy practice sessions right before a big performance. This will just strain and tire your voice out. Stick to light rehearsing and save the intense practice for other days. Prioritize vocal rest instead.
Avoidanti-inflammatory medication before singing
Drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin can temporarily alter vocal cord viscosity and thickness. Avoid taking anti-inflammatory medication for minor aches and pains shortly before singing unless absolutely necessary. They can interfere with your optimal vocal function.
Don’t stress out
High stress and anxiety levels right before singing can increase muscle tension in your neck, jaw, and throat area. This makes it harder to relax these areas for ideal vocal function. Do whatever you can to stay relaxed and centered before a singing performance through meditation, positive self-talk, or relaxing activities. This will help you sing your best.
Conclusion
Avoiding certain habits and behaviors in the 24-48 hours leading up to singing helps ensure your voice is well-rested, hydrated, and ready to perform at its best. Limit vocally-taxing activities, stay hydrated with non-irritating fluids, avoid dehydrating substances like caffeine and alcohol, manage lifestyle factors like allergies and reflux, and don’t over-practice right before singing. Setting your voice up for success through adequate vocal rest and preparation will help prevent fatigue and keep you singing your best.