Athena Vale
Throat tension and vocal stress are common issues, often caused by talking, singing, dehydration, a lack of sleep, or overuse of the vocal cords. To loosen throat muscles, one can try neck stretches, jaw stretches, and breathing exercises. Singing scales while focusing on keeping the throat open and relaxed can also help, as well as strengthening the zygomatic muscles to reduce pressure on the throat.
How to loosen throat muscles
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inhale a soft "k" sound | To open your throat, inhale a soft "k" sound to lift your soft palate and lower your larynx. |
| Sing scales | Focus on keeping your throat open and relaxed while singing scales and changing registers. |
| Neck rolls | Roll your neck from side to side, holding each pose for 5 seconds, to release throat muscles and relieve tightness. |
| Neck stretches | Gently stretch your neck muscles, such as tilting your head to the side and opening your mouth wide, to help your throat open up. |
| Yawning | Start a yawn and exhale by sighing "ah" to relieve tense throat muscles. |
| Deep breathing | Take slow, deep breaths to relax and reduce tension in the throat. |
| Shoulder relaxation | Relax your shoulders and release tension in your neck, shoulders, and throat. |
| Facial exercises | Slightly lift your cheeks to strengthen your facial muscles and relax your throat. |
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What You'll Learn
Yawn and sigh to relax throat muscles
Yawning is a complex muscular movement that involves the coordination of several muscles in your chest, throat, and face. It is a natural response that helps open up your airway and mouth to take a long, deep breath of air. This action also stretches and tenses the muscles around your throat.
The yawn-sigh technique is a voice therapy method that uses yawning and sighing to relax the throat and improve symptoms of vocal hyperfunction and vocal nodules. It is particularly effective for those who experience a hoarse voice, laryngeal tension, or frequently lose their voice by the end of the day.
To perform the yawn-sigh technique, start by taking a relaxed breath through your mouth while yawning gently. You should feel the back of your throat relaxing. Gently exhale some air, as if you're sighing. Repeat this a few times. Then, take another relaxed breath through your mouth while yawning and open your mouth wider. As you exhale, gradually make a 'haaa' sound, as if you're sighing. Repeat these steps a few times, focusing on the sensation of relaxation in your throat.
In addition to the yawn-sigh technique, you can also try other methods to relax your throat muscles. For example, you can practice rolling your neck from side to side, stretching your neck muscles, and taking slow, deep breaths to help relieve tension.
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Neck rolls and stretches
Neck Rolls
- Start with your head squarely over your shoulders and your back straight.
- Roll your neck to the side and hold for 5 seconds.
- Then, roll your neck forward, to the other side, and finally, roll it backward, holding each pose for 5 seconds.
- Repeat this sequence 5 to 10 times, or until you feel your throat relax.
- Ensure you feel a pull in your neck muscles, but stop if you experience any sharp pain or discomfort.
Neck Stretches
- While sitting or standing, look straight ahead with your chin tucked slightly down.
- Pull your head and chin backward slowly, as if creating a double chin, without tilting your head forward or backward.
- Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat this stretch 10 to 15 times to correct forward head posture.
Towel Stretch
- Stand up straight and look straight ahead.
- Place a rolled-up towel around the back of your neck, holding both ends of the towel taut.
- Tilt your head back and look upward, allowing your hands to move upward with the towel to support your head and neck.
Jaw Massage
- Using your fingers, create small circles starting below your ears and moving along your jaw muscles.
- Work up to massaging for 2 minutes on each side.
Circumlaryngeal Massage
- Locate your Adam's apple with your thumb and forefinger.
- Move your fingers to the outside of your voice box and make small circles, slowly pulling down on both sides.
- When you reach the bottom of your throat, move back up to the starting position.
- Repeat this massage for 2 minutes or complete at least 10 passes.
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Deep breathing exercises
Abdominal Breathing
- Bring awareness to your breath.
- If you're hyperventilating, try exhaling slowly and purposefully, as if you're blowing out a candle.
- Place one hand on your belly and relax your shoulders.
- Breathe into your belly, fully inflating your lungs with air.
Mindful Breathing
- Practice yawning while inhaling, then release with a sigh.
- Place a finger on your Adam's apple as you do this, feeling it drop as your throat relaxes and expands.
- Try running your tongue over the outside of your teeth with your mouth closed, or pretend to chew in circular motions to relieve tension in your larynx.
- Stretch your neck by relaxing your shoulders and tilting your head forward, holding for 10 seconds, then returning to the centre.
- Roll your head to one side, hold for 10 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
Larynx-Closure Exercises
- Take a deep breath and hold it.
- Swallow, then immediately cough.
- Repeat this cycle a few times.
- Inhale and hold your breath again, this time bearing down as if you're having a bowel movement.
- Swallow and repeat the cycle a few times.
- Hold your breath, place both hands under your chair, and pull up as if trying to lift the chair.
Neck and Jaw Stretches
- Move your larynx side to side and practice breathing in these new positions.
- Place the back of your hand on your throat and gently push your larynx to one side.
- Hold your larynx there and take 2-3 slow breaths, then repeat on the other side.
- Create small circles using the pads of your fingers, starting below your ears and moving along your jaw muscles. Work up to doing this for 2 minutes on both sides.
- Sit up straight and drop your chin to your chest, letting your head hang heavy and feeling the stretch along the back of your neck.
Remember to always keep your shoulders and neck relaxed during your deep breathing exercises, and focus on breathing into any areas of tension until you feel them release.
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Singing scales
One way to relax your throat while singing is to focus on your diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that sits below the heart and lungs, and it controls the airflow in and out of the lungs. When singing, it is good to breathe deeper than usual to keep the diaphragm super flat, as this will give you better control of your breath.
Another tip is to focus on keeping your throat open and relaxed while singing scales. During each scale, remember to lift your cheeks and release any tension in your neck, shoulders, and throat. As you go through the scales, focus on engaging other parts of your body, like your ribs, intercostal muscles, and lungs. This will decrease the tension in your throat and prevent injury.
Additionally, you can try placing your finger on your Adam's apple and practicing yawning to release tension in your throat. While yawning, try to make an "ah" sound on the exhale to relieve tense muscles.
If you are having trouble with throat tension, it may be helpful to work on your breath control. Try practicing long exhales using straws, as the thinner the straw, the higher the pitch. This will help you understand how pitch and airflow are related.
Finally, you can try using lip trills or tongue trills while singing scales to loosen up your vocal tract. Tongue trills involve "rolling your r's" at the tip of the tongue, as in the Spanish language. These exercises are relaxing and will help kick your breathing mechanism into gear.
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Lip trills
To do a lip trill, you need to create a buzz with your lips by blowing air out of your mouth, which is closed. This buzz is not produced by the lips themselves but by the larynx, just like when speaking or singing. The sound waves are reflected back down the throat, providing energy that warms up the vocal folds and causes the vocal cords to stretch with less muscular resistance. This equalises the pressure above and below the vocal folds, making it easier for them to stay connected as you move through your vocal range.
If you are unable to do a lip trill, it may be because your muscles are too tense. Try using your fingertips to support the corners of your mouth and cheeks, and work at it until you can create a buzzing sound with your lips. Once you can maintain the buzz, you can move on to the next steps.
To ensure you are doing lip trills correctly, it is important to focus on your breath and airflow rather than the muscles of your face. Take a deep breath before you start, focusing on your rib cage and diaphragm, to ensure you have enough breath support. As you do the lip trill, keep your throat and neck relaxed by focusing on muscles located elsewhere in your body. You can also try raising your cheeks and scrunching your nose to help keep your palate in place and improve resonance.
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Frequently asked questions
Try taking slow, deep breaths, counting to four as you do so. Then, relax your shoulders and roll your neck from side to side.
Yes, you can try neck stretches. For example, sit up tall in a chair, face forward, and gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder. Hold for 5 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Try inhaling a soft "k" sound to open your throat and lower your larynx. You can also try "lifting", which involves slightly lifting your cheeks while singing to strengthen your facial muscles and relax your throat.
Focus on keeping your throat open and relaxed while singing scales and changing registers. As you go through the scales, try to engage other parts of your body, like your ribs, intercostal muscles, and lungs.
Throat tension can be caused by dehydration, a lack of sleep, and overusing your speaking or singing voice without the correct placement or technique. It can also be caused by psychological tension, which can result in physical constriction in the throat.
