Analysis: Several noticeable possible changes may occur to a woman's voice as part of the perimenopause and menopause
Your voice is a part of your identity and the sound you make is as unique as your fingerprints. But what happens if you experience a change in your voice? For several of us, this will happen as part of perimenopause and menopause, but this under-discussed change catches many by surprise. With an estimated two-thirds of professional voice users such as teachers, public speakers, and singers noticing changes to their voice during menopause, it's time for more information on what to expect and how to navigate this change to become available. Here are four potential areas of vocal change which can occur during the menopause.
The way your voice sounds
One of the more noticeable possible changes is your voice lowering in pitch. If you are a public speaker, this might mean that your voice sounds deeper and more resonant which some people enjoy. If you are a singer however, this could mean it's more difficult to reach your highest notes and this changes the repertoire you can sing. You may also find that your voice becomes rougher with a slightly more gravelly quality.
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The way your voice feels physically
Some hormonal fluctuations can cause dryness, hoarseness, or a raspy sound in the voice. Others can lead to swelling in the vocal folds. This can result in less vocal flexibility, reducing the expressiveness you have in your voice. You may also often feel like you have a lump in your throat or have the urge to swallow more frequently. All of these changes can alter the way you use your voice, causing tension, discomfort, or even pain.
The control you have over your voice
If you speak or sing in public, being unable to control your voice can be embarrassing. Some menopausal singers experience this and have trouble pitching accurately. Others lose volume and power in their voice, leaving them unable to project across large rooms, which is challenging for both public speakers and singers.
Your vocal fitness and stamina
During the perimenopause and menopause, you may notice that your voice tires more quickly than before. You might also find yourself needing to take breaths more often, as sustaining a vocal line or a long sentence becomes more challenging. Warming-up the voice can also take longer, and you might need to devote some protected time to this at the beginning of a working day.
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This list of symptoms sounds daunting, but it's important to note that not everyone experiences any or all of these. Furthermore, not all are permanent, with symptoms varying over time.
There are also steps you can take to support your voice during this time of change. Firstly, if you are required to speak to a large group, ask for a microphone to be available to avoid shouting or straining your voice to make yourself heard.
Ensure that short, regular vocal rest breaks are part of your schedule. If you have multiple meetings in a day, plan for these to last 50 minutes as opposed to a full hour so that you get regular 10-minute breaks where you can stop speaking and rest your voice.
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Ensure that you hydrate regularly. Remember that anything you drink doesn’t directly touch your vocal folds as fluids are first absorbed by your system and will take time to reach this area. Set yourself regular reminders to drink some water throughout the day.
You can also incorporate short vocal exercises into your daily routine. Practicing supporting your voice with a breathing technique such as Accent Method is an excellent way of ensuring that you're not over-taxing your vocal apparatus. You can also spend a few minutes per day on Semi Occluded Vocal Tract (SOVT) exercises by sirening up and down in your range on an 'Ooo’ through a straw.
Spending five to 10 minutes each morning working on breathing and vocal technique is an excellent way to warm-up and gently get your voice moving. More resources and information are available here.
The menopause is a time of change, and change can be disorientating, particularly if you're adjusting to hearing yourself in a new way
Finally, it is also a good idea to book a few sessions with a vocal coach who can listen to you speaking or singing and suggest a programme of vocal exercises. Think of it like seeing a personal trainer for your voice who can design a routine to target the areas you need.
The menopause is a time of change, and change can be disorientating, particularly if you're adjusting to hearing yourself in a new way. It’s also though an opportunity to really engage with how your voice sounds and feels, and upskill with some vocal techniques to help you bring new colours to your voice. Take this opportunity to learn, speak and sing through change.
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Dr Kathleen Cronie is a PhD graduate from the University of Aberdeen whose research explored what singers need from conductors to fully participate in choral singing. She has written a guide for University of Glasgow on the menopausal voice change.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
