Ah, the eternal anthem of all voice professionals: "Drink water! Stay hydrated!" It's a message that echoes in every singing circle and we're here to tell you it's not mere repetition. We are going to spill the water here (is that a thing? can it be a thing?). Your vocal folds, those unsung heroes of every sound you make, have a delicate outer mucousal layer that’s the key to their smooth function. Picture it like oil for a finely tuned machine. When you’re well-hydrated, this layer is silky, allowing your vocal folds to come together seamlessly. But if not properly hydrated that layer starts to look and feel much more like the mucus we’d rather not think about and it slows and impacts all aspects of the voice. You start grappling with notes instead of elegantly breezing through them. Hydration isn’t just a voice pro's gimmick; it’s key to your vocal health and key to your overall vocal excellence.

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Your Body Is Your Instrument

So, we've established that hydration directly impacts the function of your voice (sound and feel!) and this principle doesn’t ring true for your voice only; it resonates through your entire being. We are primarily water, after all, and we are our instrument! So staying well hydrated is about enhancing your overall well being - mind and body - with your voice right at the forefront. And if you are one of those people that struggles drinking “just water" reading this, remember that water isn’t the only hydrating option. Water, milk (yes, milk), juicy fruits and vegetables… they’re all hydrators. You have to find what works best for your body and voice.

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Internal Hydration (and Some Basic Biology)

An important thing to keep in mind when focusing on hydration, is that our vocal folds are part of our respiratory system and our esophagus, where anything goes that we eat or drink, is part of our digestive system. What does this mean? Nothing you eat or drink directly touches your vocal folds. So, chugging some water just before the big show is going to do nothing but give you water belly.  The water needs time to get into your system and optimally hydrate your entire body - vocal folds included.This means you need to be focused on hydration 24-48 hours before you need your voice to be it’s best. And, in an ideal world, it’s ideal to stay hydrated 24/7 so your voice is always ready for you, whenever you need it.

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Surface Hydration

If you find yourself in a drier environment, or possibly you’ve had heavy workouts or you’ve had some alcohol - all of which can be drying - don’t forget the great benefit of surface hydration. That can mean using a humidifier in the room when you sleep, using a personal steamer or nebulizer or cupping your hands in a hot shower to breath in some of that steamy goodness. It's a way to get additional moisture to the surface of the vocal folds and/or throat, depending on your method. Surface hydration does not and cannot take the place of internal hydration. But, it can be a fantastic, and sometimes much needed, addition.

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Non-Negotiable

So, remember, that hydration isn’t just a word that we voice professionals love to put on repeat. It is, truly, a non-negotiable for your best performance and for life-long voice use. So, hydrate like your voice depends on it because, well, it does. 💧

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