Stress is known to result in far reaching physiological changes and symptoms such as those highlighted below. These symptoms can impact various processes that affect voice (Martin & Lockhart, 2000). This means stress can directly reduce your vocal stamina, power, pitch range, and stability of tone - negatively affecting your vocal performances.
Throat Tension leads to a fixed laryngeal position and possible difficulties swallowing.
Aching Neck leads to tension in the internal and external muscles of the larynx.
Backache affects the easy movement of the ribs.
Muscle Tension reduces the flexibility and muscularity of the respiratory process.
Muscle pain leads to reduced volitional movement, leading to stiffness and loss of flexibility.
Fatigue leads to loss of effective muscle function.
Frequent urination and diarrhoea lead to dehydration and consequent effect on the vocal folds.
Less efficient immune system leads to lower resistance to upper respiratory tract infections and the potential for infection within the larynx.
Over breathing leads to a reduction in breath support and therefore a reduced phonation time.
Indigestion can lead to gastro-oesophageal reflux, which will directly affect the vocal folds, causing redness and irritation.
Help is available:
There is scientific evidence that dietary supplements can be part of a holistic approach to reducing stress, along with a healthy diet and other lifestyle changes, such as getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, talking to friends or a mental health professional, and engaging in relaxation techniques and meditation.
VitaVoice Optimise has been developed with human voice production in mind.
Poor nutrition may be a causal factor in the experience of low mood, stress, and anxiety, and improving diet may help to protect not only the physical health but also the mental health of performers. The inflammatory effects of poor diet choices (e.g., high in calories and saturated fat) have been proposed as one mechanism through which the Western diet may have detrimental effects on brain health. Various mental health conditions, including mood disorders, have been linked to heightened inflammation.
Here at VitaVoice we have worked hard to develop our VitaVoice™ Optimise daily food supplement for vocalists everywhere who may be at risk of taking a less than ideal diet on a regular basis.
VitaVoice™ Optimise is a daily food supplement which can support your body to balance out your lifestyle choices, providing you with essential vitamins, minerals and botanicals and the best chance possible for a voice that achieves and maintains top condition.
VitaVoice™ Optimise supports your body with carefully selected nutrients so it can better work towards reducing inflammatory effects of poor diet and stress. Ashwagandha, Magnesium, Zinc, Lemon Balm, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, and Turmeric have proven therapeutic benefits and research suggests they may all contribute to the reduction of depression, stress, and anxiety.
And finally:
Not all vitamins and minerals are created equal: Each ingredient in VitaVoice Optimise has been hand-selected to ensure we have firstly - targeted aspects of normal human physiology which, when out of balance can contribute to vocal underperformance (eg. supporting normal immune function, therefore reducing likelihood for common illnesses and associated inflammation; providing adaptogens to support management of stress and anxiety; supporting normal metabolism to ensure energy levels are optimal; and nootropics to support focus and clarity of thought), and secondly - only included the most bioavailable and absorbable nutrient forms. By only including nutrients which can be easily processed and used by the body, VitaVoice Optimise ensures you can access the most nutritional benefits. Plus VitaVoice Optimise is 100% vegan, allergen and cruelty-free!
You are amazing! Your body is a miracle. VitaVoice Optimise has everything you might need as a performer to optimise your vocal performances.
See our science information section and downloadable .pdf for more details about our ingredients. and their clinical effectiveness
Sources
Cooper CL, 1986, Job distress: recent research and the emerging role of the clinical psychologist, Bulletin of British Psychological Society, 339, pp325-331 (Summary of Occupational Stressors)
Martin, S & Lockhart, M, 2000. Working with Voice Disorders. Speechmark Publishing, pp164-167. (Stress)
New National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows UK population is eating too much sugar, saturated fat and salt
HFMA: Health of the Nation Survey 2021
Fruit and vegetable intake is inversely associated with perceived stress across the adult lifespan
The Role of Vitamins in Mental Health
Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing?
Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Sleep Hygiene (HEPAS) as the Winning Triad for Sustaining Physical and Mental Health in Patients at Risk for or with Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Considerations for Clinical Practice
Vitamin B12 Supplementation: Preventing Onset and Improving Prognosis of Depression
Adjunctive Nutraceuticals for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses
Curcumin for depression: a meta-analysis
Inflammation-related biomarkers in major psychiatric disorders: a cross-disorder assessment of reproducibility and specificity in 43 meta-analyses