Steam inhalations

1. Fill a bowl with boiling water – no need to add anything (in fact some substances can be drying e.g. menthol).
2. Sit at a table and lean over the bowl (towel over head: optional!).
3. For the first few breaths, breathe in through your nose but as soon as you can, start breathing in through your open mouth.
4. Your breath should be abdominal/central, as if you are breathing under the table (i.e. not shallow breathing – your shoulders shouldn’t be moving).
5. Continue for 2-3 minutes

Benefits:

The evaporating steam moisturises/lubricates the mucous membrane which covers the whole of the vocal tract and the vocal cords.

It relaxes the pharynx (back of throat) and larynx (voicebox), and gives you the sensation of the openness of your vocal tract.

Contraindications:

Avoid this if you have asthma, other bronchial conditions (e.g. COPD, bronchiectasis, chest infection/bronchitis), or you have had recent oral, nasal or vocal surgery.