Next time you are on the phone with a stranger, try guessing that person’s age. If you get to meet the person later, you’ll probably find that your hunch was fairly accurate. As people age, their voices naturally mature. But longevity doesn't have to bring with it a hoarse croak or feeble whisper. Increasingly, voice specialists are finding that proper care can keep the voice vigorous at any age.
Most “symptoms” of vocal aging first appear after age 50 and become more noticeable as the years pass. Male voices typically become higher in pitch, while female voice tends to deepen. Some voices take on a harsh tone, developing what might be described as a “creaky quality”, while others begin to thin and weaken.
Many of the symptoms of vocal aging can be traced to a weakening of the vocal cords. Like an overused guitar string, around the sixth decade of life the vocal cords become thinner and lose their youthful spring, no longer snapping together tightly after a puff of air has passed through. Eventually, this may cause a quavering voice or a breathy one lacking volume.
Also around age 50, the water content of the throat’s lubricating mucus begins to dwindle, increasing the chances of friction between the vocal folds. If the vocal folds rub against each other, you are likely to get trauma, just like rubbing would cause a blister on your heel. This can result in a voice that sounds hoarse or breathy.
Steps To Vocal Fitness
However, you can keep vocal aging at bay by taking good care of both your body and your vocal machinery, experts say. A person’s general level of fitness is probably the single most important factor in vitality of the voice. Air power is crucial for voice production; if lack of exercise weakens the muscles that operate the lungs, the voice can lose its vigor.
Other sources of strain on the voice are cigarette smoke and chronic exposure to air pollution. It is recommended to drink eight to ten glasses of fluids each day to anyone regularly uses his or her voice strenuously. Fluids can be warm or cold, but not caffeinated because the latter’s diuretic effect robs the body of moisture.
A faithful voice exercise can also greatly improve the voice longevity. A series of vocal calisthenics that includes sustained humming, which helps develop the resonance that gives a voice a strong, rich quality. Hum five to ten minutes a day, it can be done at any free moment – for example, while showering, getting dressed or walking. It is recommended to practice vowel-rich words and phrases, such as Amazon, banana and lullaby baby, to cultivate resonance. Start out pronouncing the words slowly and build up speed until you reach a normal speaking rate.
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