Daily Vocal Warm Up Exercises
Practicing your daily voice exercises could boost more than your vocal range. Research now shows it could also battle depression, improve your communication abilities, reduce your need for painkillers and so much more.
The same way that marathon runners would never start a race without first warming up their muscles, I advise my clients—whether actors, singers, surgeons, teachers, nurses, influencers or CEOs—to warm up their voices every morning with very particular vocal exercises. That way, they can perform at their peak, no matter how they’ll be using their voice throughout the day. (By the way, I don’t just teach this. I use these vocal warmups in my own life, too!)
TWEETABLE: “The study found that participants who listened to music had “improved communicative and interactive skills” and that it “improved social functioning over time in all age groups.” These findings could mean that adding more music to daily life can offer a huge advantage for speakers and singers alike.”More Than Just a Great Sounding Voice
Are vocal exercises good for more than helping you hit that high note or adding more vocal variety to your boardroom presentations? Absolutely. Adding more music to our lives—potentially from both listening to music and making it ourselves by singing—can bring us scientifically proven benefits.
For starters, research shows that music therapy can keep the storm clouds of depression at bay and boost your confidence. The study showed that music, “significantly improved self-esteem and significantly reduced depression” in young people, aged 8 to 16-years-old.
The study also found that participants who listened to music had “improved communicative and interactive skills” and that it “improved social functioning over time in all age groups.” These findings could mean that adding more music to daily life can offer a huge advantage for speakers and singers alike.
Music To Take The Pain Away
Beyond a mood boost, music can reduce our pain, as well. Scientists revealed that “listening to music before, during and after surgery reduces people’s pain, anxiety and need for painkillers.”
The research endeavor involved nearly 7,000 patients and confirmed the link between music in the operating room and a “significant reduction in postoperative pain, postoperative anxiety and the need for postoperative pain relief medication.” This means that simply tuning in could be our prescription for healing.
And it’s not just Mozart that’ll restore you. Counter to common understanding, evidence showed that the choice of music and how long a patient listened made almost no difference at all in the patient’s outcome. Music even made a positive impact when patients were under general anesthetic. This implies that sound waves impact us on a deep enough subliminal level that simply turning on some tunes in the background while we work could be enough for us to enjoy the benefits.
Vocal Warmups = Making Music = A Better Voice + A Better Quality of Life
Music is such an everyday part of our surroundings that it’s easy to forget what a potent, positive factor it can be in our lives. Like oxygen, we often take it for granted. However, it’s never too late to bring music back into our daily routines and enjoy the payback.
What’s even better for you than listening to music? Making it. That’s right, I don’t want you to only hear music, but I also want you to make it. Use the greatest instrument you were born with—YOUR VOICE—to make music and receive the incredible benefits.
Block out just five minutes a day—in the car or on the cool down walk after a run—to squeeze in these exercises. Sing along if you can or even just listen. Your voice, mind and body will thank you. If music can make you feel and heal better, the vocal exercises I give you in all my speaking and singing online courses can be your afternoon pick-me-up, your confidence boost, your stay-healthy soundtrack, or maybe even a substitute therapy session.
Block out just five minutes a day—in the car or on the cool down walk after a run—to squeeze in these exercises. Improve your singing skills right away, sing along if you can or even just listen. Your voice, mind and body will thank you.
