Everybody has a morning voice, some have deeper voices while others sound hoarse and raspy. Most people do not have any issue with their morning voice but for some singers, this can be extremely problematic. If you are a singer who is used to singing higher notes then your morning voice will be a nightmare, especially if you have a gig where you have to sing in the morning. Luckily for you, I got you covered and help you get rid of your Shrek-like morning voice.
To alleviate morning voice, incorporating vocal warm-ups into your routine is highly beneficial. Engaging in activities such as singing scales, humming, and performing lip trills can effectively stretch and condition your vocal cords without placing excessive strain on them. These warm-up exercises help to wake up your voice, improve vocal flexibility, and promote better vocal control throughout the day.
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The morning voice is a natural part of life, while you are sleeping your body goes into repair mode. Everybody’s morning voice is different but for singers, the change in voice can be extreme for a couple of reasons. The main reason why the morning voice of singers is so different is that most singers tend to force their throat and vocal cords during the day while singing. This is especially problematic if you are forcing yourself to sing high notes, as these will strain your voice.
While you are singing you are putting a lot of pressure on your vocal cords and throat, put enough pressure and they will be damaged. Some amount of damage isn’t a problem, the problem is when you are forcing your voice every day. Your throat and vocal cords need a lot of time to repair themselves if you are forcing your vocal cords every day then they do not have time to recover, and this is why a lot of singers tend to have a morning voice which is only getting worse every day.
While you are sleeping mucus tends to build up in your throat and your vocal cords, and this is what is actually making your morning voice. The problem with morning voice is that it tends to last a couple of hours if you are a singer. What I always tell my students is to wake up 2-3 hours earlier if they have a morning gig, this way their body has all the time it needs to remove all the excess mucus on their vocal cords which is causing their morning voice. If you want to warm up your voice in the morning then check out my recent article How to warm up your voice in the morning? ( Fast & Easy ).
How To Get Rid Of Morning Voice?
Morning voice, characterized by a hoarse or rough vocal quality upon waking up, can be improved with a few simple techniques. First, it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day, as dehydration can affect vocal cords. Drinking water or herbal tea before bed and upon waking can help alleviate morning voices. Gently warming up your voice with vocal exercises or humming can also help to wake up the vocal cords and improve their flexibility. Taking a warm shower or using a humidifier in your bedroom can help to moisturize the throat and reduce morning voice. Additionally, avoiding vocal strain or excessive talking before bed can minimize the impact on your vocal cords.
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By Taking A Shower
One of the fastest ways to get rid of your morning voice is by taking a shower, the hotter the better just don’t make it unbearable. The reason why a shower is soo good for getting rid of your morning voice is that you inhale a lot of steam and water vapor while you are showering. In addition to this, you will have a lot easier time removing excess mucus from your nose which also contributes to your morning voice.
The shower doesn’t have to be long, a 5-10 minute shower is more than enough to kickstart the mucus-eliminating process. Once you are finished with the shower, just blow your nose a couple of times and you will instantly notice that you got rid of your morning voice. If you love your raspy voice and you want to use it all day long then check out my recent article How to get a raspy voice quickly? ( In 8 Easy Ways ).
Drinking Water In The Morning
Most people get rid of their morning voice by drinking coffee, although as a singer this is not the best idea. If you mix coffee and milk together then it is especially worse if you are a singer. Coffee and milk will alter your voice and it will limit your ability to sing. If you are not a singer then go ahead and drink a cup of coffee, but if you are a singer and you want to take care of your vocal cords then you should stick to drinking lukewarm water first thing in the morning.
It is extremely important that the water is either lukewarm or at room temperature. If you drink cold water then this will constrict your vocal cords and this constriction can last for a couple of hours, which is not ideal if you are a singer. In addition to this cold water could also damage your vocal cords, as your vocal cords are probably sensitive due to all the singing you have done the previous day.
By Talking Or Singing
You have probably seen a lot of movies where somebody would sing while taking a shower, in fact, this is a common practice by a lot of singers. Talking or singing also helps you eliminate the excess mucus on your vocal cords. Just do not whisper, as whispering puts a lot of pressure on your vocal cords and you can actually lose your voice the next day. For the best results, my personal recommendation is to sing while you are taking a shower, and you will notice that your voice will get a lot softer and clearer after you have finished the shower.
Just keep in mind that your goal with singing in the morning is to get rid of your morning voice, so do not force yourself to sing higher notes, I personally would avoid singing any kind of songs that need higher notes. You can also talk to get rid of your morning voice, just be careful that this can be extremely annoying if you live with someone and you are talking to yourself.
Use A Humidifier
This is more a preventative measure than a cure for your morning voice. The dryer the air is in the room where you are sleeping the worse your morning voice will be. Your body needs a lot of water when you are asleep so it can make the necessary repairs. If you constantly wake up with a dry nose and a sore throat then this is because the air is too dry. While you are sleeping you are eliminating a lot of water through your breath.
If the air is dry in the room then this will lead to a dry nose and in some cases sore throat which will make your morning voice a lot worse. The humidifier’s job is to maintain a set level of humidity in the room, this way you won’t wake up with a dry nose and a sore throat. During the wintertime, while you are heating your home you will notice that the air tends to get fairly dry, in this case, you can use either a humidifier or a bowl of water.
Just place the bowl of water in the room where you are sleeping and during the night most of the water will evaporate and humidify the air, and you will not wake up with a dry nose and a sore throat anymore.
Drinking Water Before Bedtime
One of the main reasons why you have a bad morning voice is that your body doesn’t have enough water to function properly while you are sleeping. While you are asleep your body is hard at work repairing the damage you might have caused during the day and making all the necessary bodily functions that are essential. The problem is when your body doesn’t actually have enough water to work with.
In some cases, you will wake up during the night feeling trusty, but this is not always the case. If you go to sleep without hydrating yourself then you will notice that you have an even worse morning voice than usual and you will most likely wake up with a dry nose. Before going to bed drink a cup of lukewarm or room temperature water, and you will notice that your morning voice will be a lot easier to get rid of.
By Clearing Your Nose
Nose congestion can be caused by a lot of things and they also contribute to your morning voice. You should incorporate in your morning routine a process of cleaning your nose, usually, the best way to do this is with some lukewarm water. I won’t describe the process as it only includes your finger and some water, you can use your imagination. You should clean your nose every morning and in a couple of days, you will notice that your morning voice will not be as bad as it used to.
Clear Your Throat
The excess mucus tends to build up in your throat and most of the time it will cover your vocal cords which makes your morning voice. The easiest way to clear your throat is to cough gently, with an emphasis on gentle. Coughing is a very intense activity for your entire body, if you cough too forcefully then you will end up hurting your vocal cords, which will make your morning voice even worse.
By Humming
Humming is also an excellent way to clear both your throat and your nose. This can be done instead of singing or talking to get rid of your morning voice. For some people humming works better than singing or talking in the morning. Try it out and see if it helps, it is also a good idea to hum while you are taking a shower in the morning as the water vapors and the high humidity will help you clear both your nose and throat at the same time.
Get Plenty Of Sleep
One of the reasons which cause a bad morning voice is sleep, although more precisely the lack of it. Generally speaking, the average person needs around 8-9 hours of sleep every night to feel well-rested. If you do not sleep long enough then you will interrupt the natural cycle of your body, and this will only make your morning voice even worse. The quality of sleep is also a vital factor that can make your morning voice either better or worse.
If you are a night owl then you will find that when you wake up you have an extremely deep and raspy voice. Our body has adapted to sleep during the nighttime, and if you get used to sleeping during the daytime then this could lead to long-lasting side effects like fatigue as your body can not get the proper rest that it needs while you are sleeping.
Don’t Eat Salty Food Before Bedtime
Salty foods tend to use a lot of water to get processed by your stomach, if most of the water is used to digest the food then your body will not have enough after to maintain the proper bodily fluid exchanges which leads to a bad morning voice. As a general rule, you should eat 3-4 hours before you go to sleep, but we live in an era where everything is fast-paced, and sticking to a strict eating plan tends to be extremely challenging for most people.
If you have to eat before bedtime then make sure that you do not eat salty food. Now you might think that you could eat something sweet, although it is better than eating salty food when it comes to your morning voice but it is still not ideal.
Sleep With Your Mouth Closed
A lot of times when you get tired you will sleep with an open mouth to maximize the airflow. This only leads to an extremely bad morning voice as your body can not properly lubricate your throat and vocal cords. Oftentimes if you sleep with an open mouth you will wake up with a sore throat and a dry nose. If you have tried everything but you are still not able to sleep with your mouth closed then you should probably visit your doctor.
Smoking Tends To Make The Morning Voice Even Worse
You should at all costs avoid any kind of smoke both during the day and during the night if you want to get rid of your morning voice. Smoke tends to dehydrate the throat and this can happen even if you are a second-hand smoker. The smoke from vaping is also extremely bad, as it contains oils that can get stuck on your throat and your lungs, some scientists say that this is even worse than regular smoke. If you want to know how vaping is affecting your voice then check out my recent article Does vaping affect my singing voice? ( 11 ways how it kills your voice ).
Key Takeaways
- You can get rid of your morning voice by drinking a glass of lukewarm water first thing in the morning and by humming. While we sleep a thick coat of mucus forms on our vocal cords, which causes the morning voice. How hydrated you are while sleeping will determine how your morning voice will sound, so drink a glass of water before bedtime and use a humidifier.
- Drink plenty of water before bed and upon waking up to keep your vocal cords hydrated. Dry vocal cords can contribute to morning voice, so staying hydrated can help alleviate the symptoms.
- Engage in gentle vocal warm-up exercises in the morning to gradually awaken and stretch your vocal cords. Start with humming, lip trills, and gentle sirens to help warm up your voice and improve its clarity.
FAQ
Does morning voice go away?
Yes, morning voice typically goes away on its own within a few hours of waking up. It is a temporary condition caused by vocal cords being relaxed and slightly swollen from sleep.
What causes the morning voice?
The morning voice is primarily caused by the accumulation of mucus on the vocal cords during sleep, resulting in a hoarse or raspy voice in the morning. Additionally, the muscles used for speaking and singing may take some time to fully wake up and function optimally.
How can I lose my voice tomorrow morning?
While it’s not recommended to purposely lose your voice, factors like excessive vocal strain, shouting, or exposure to irritants such as smoke or dry air may contribute to temporary vocal changes, including a hoarse voice in the morning.
Why do I always have a hoarse voice in the morning?
Persistent hoarseness in the morning could be a sign of an underlying issue, such as acid reflux, allergies, or vocal cord nodules. If you consistently experience hoarseness in the morning, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or an ear, nose, and throat specialist for a proper evaluation.
