Preserving your voice during cold and flu season

I’m writing this while recovering from a cold that has kept me out of singing and limited my teaching for several weeks. It has been disruptive. When your voice is part of how you work and how you live, that kind of interruption is inconvenient.

At the same time, I accepted it. I couldn’t push through, so I stopped. That pause created time I wouldn’t otherwise have taken. I caught up with my studies, reflected on life more generally and allowed myself to rest properly. In that sense, the enforced slowing down was also healing. 

For professional singers, illness can feel catastrophic. It threatens income, reputation and confidence all at once. Even for people who are not professional but simply love to sing, losing access to the voice can feel very unsettling. Singing is a way that many people regulate their nervous system and stay in balance. 

Recently, I was talking to a young singer-songwriter who had cut herself off almost completely in order to protect her voice. She avoids socialising and going out, describing herself as "a bit of a hermit". It’s understandable, but not a healthy solution. Isolation may reduce exposure in the short term, but it also loses the benefits from interacting and community.

So the question isn’t whether singers should protect their voice. The real question is how to do that without shrinking life unreasonably.

This blog looks at how singers can protect the voice during winter, reduce the chances of repeated coughs and colds, and recover more quickly when illness strikes.

Accept what you can and cannot control

Singers cannot eliminate exposure to viruses completely. However, what you can influence is:

• how resilient your voice and body are going into winter

• how fast you respond to symptoms

• how well you protect your recovery

• how you manage exposure during higher-risk periods

Focusing on these areas helps provide a sense of agency.

Build baseline vocal and immune resilience

A resilient system recovers faster. This is the quiet, unglamorous side of singing, but it matters.

• Sleep: Poor sleep reduces immune resilience and makes the voice less manageable.

• Hydration: Dry mucosa is more vulnerable to irritation and infection.

• Fuel: Eating regularly and in a way that supports energy and recovery matters more than most singers realise.

• Regular gentle vocal use: Voices that are used steadily often rebound better than voices that are either over-driven or barely used.

• Vitamin D in winter: Many people in the UK are low during the darker months, particularly if daylight exposure is limited.

These foundations matter all year, but they become especially important in winter.

Reduce exposure without totally disappearing!

There is a middle ground between reckless exposure and never leaving the house. Practical strategies for singers might include:

• choosing well-ventilated spaces when possible

• wearing a mask in crowded indoor places during peak winter weeks

• being selective about busy indoor social events close to performances

• choosing quieter shopping times or smaller shops when it suits your life

• washing hands after travel, shopping and gigs

• asking someone else to do a supermarket run if you are run down or recovering

Treat early symptoms seriously

Many singers push through the first signs of illness. That often lengthens the duration and recovery of an illness. Early signs worth respecting include:

• throat dryness or scratchiness

• sudden tiredness or feeling "off"

• a voice that feels less responsive

• a cough that is starting to develop

• raised temperature

Responding early can shorten the whole episode. That response might include reducing vocal load rather than total silence, prioritising sleep and warmth, maintaining good hydration and avoiding dry or smoky environments.

Avoid singing with throat inflammation

While it is sometimes hard or impossible to avoid, singing on an inflamed larynx can embed bad habits and delay recovery. Protecting inflamed tissue shows professional longevity, not a lack of commitment.

Plan for illness rather than fearing it

One of the most stabilising things singers can do is plan for disruption.

That might mean:

• having alternate repertoire that sits easily when the voice is tired

• knowing how and when to modify keys or arrangements

• having clear criteria for when to cancel

• accepting that recovery is part of a singing life

Worry reduces when there is a plan.

Protect recovery to avoid repeat infections

Back-to-back winter infections are common. Often the second lands because someone returns to full social or physical load too early.

Helpful protections include:

• taking a few extra days after you feel “mostly better” before returning to crowded indoor spaces such as shops, gyms etc

• protecting sleep for a week after illness, not only during it

• returning to full vocal load gradually gently

 The core message for singers

An unrealistic goal would be to never get ill. A realistic approach is:

• aim for fewer infections

• with faster recovery

• to give you more confidence and control

• and less long-term vocal disruption

Protecting the voice is not about withdrawing from life. It’s about making balanced choices, especially in winter, so singing remains a source of joy. 

Summary

• Build resilience all year through sleep, hydration and consistent, supportive nourishment

• Accept that winter brings higher viral exposure and adjust behaviour seasonally

• Reduce time in crowded indoor spaces during peak winter weeks without withdrawing from life

• Treat early symptoms promptly

• Avoid singing through vocal inflammation

• Protect recovery so you don’t slide into repeat infections

• Plan for disruption so fear doesn’t run the show

The aim is not perfect avoidance. It’s fewer infections, faster recovery and a more sustainable relationship with your voice.