Why I Can’t Sing Well In Morning?

(Last Updated On: March 31, 2023)
Singing In Morning

BecomeSingers is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

Do you know the hidden reasons why you can’t sing well in the morning? When you have a deeper voice upon waking up in the morning, it is a sign that you had a good night’s rest. Did you notice that your voice sounds lower when you wake up in the morning? Here are some reasons for that:

Many people who have a hoarse or “froggyvoice upon waking up don’t realize the situation. What they know is that it becomes a big problem especially if they have a singing performance on that day. Thinking that their voice would only return to normal later in the day, some singers or speakers won’t even work during the daytime. Now, you realize that you can have a good-sounding voice all the hours of the day if you take care and warm up your voice properly. Do you know why you can’t sing well in the morning?

Vocal Cord Conditions In Morning

Your vocal cords are made of semi-elastic folds of tissues located in the throat. These folds of tissues are the keys to your ability to create sounds. In the morning, however, right after you have woken up, these folds of tissues seem to lack elasticity because of the tensions that have built up in the surrounding muscles, specifically, those of the neck, jaw, and shoulder muscles during nighttime.

Moreover, the body seems to develop more mucus during dawn and in the morning that usually causes your voice not to function well. For this reason, you tend to find it hard to sing and hit the right note in the morning. Well, this is pretty normal! You need to warm up your vocal cords like a player who engages in exercises to warm up his bones and muscles. You should keep on warming up your vocal cords, but you should not force your vocal cords to reach high notes until they have fully regained their elasticity. It is also good to drink a cup of warm or hot tea or a glass full of warm water. This practice will help soothe your vocal cords and keep you hydrated at the same time.

How to Open Up Your Vocal Cords in the Morning?

The lack of elasticity of your vocal cords in the morning becomes a problem if you have a gig early on in the morning. For most singers, having a gig in the early morning is always a great challenge. Hence, it would be advisable to wake up several hours earlier prior to your gig and do the necessary regimen to warm up your throat. As mentioned above, you should drink a warm glass of water or a cup of hot tea. You should also blow your nose more often and clear your throat. Moreover, it would be good to engage in singing exercises in the morning several days before your gig. Your voice will surely sound not good in the morning as compared to how it would sound in the evening, but as long as you do the first exercises in the morning, you’ll be able to open up your vocal cords and hit the right notes during your gig.

You should also engage in stretching and exercises to tone your body muscles while getting ready for your singing gig. You can also engage in breathing exercises by breathing through your nose and exhaling through your nose. Imagine and feel how your midsection expands with every breath. You should likewise gently stretch your nape and neck while you engage in this breathing exercise. In this way, you can awaken your body nerves, allow for greater blood circulation throughout your body, and enhance the elasticity of your different muscles.

You should warm up your whole body before warming up your voice because it may be counterproductive if you are only going to warm up your vocal cords without first warming up your entire body. It would also be advisable when warming up your vocal cords to start with the low notes by humming low. Once you feel that you’re able to hit the low notes, slowly try to reach the middle notes. Slides will surely be beneficial to you as long as you carefully do the slide from one note to another. Once you have hit the middle notes, you can then proceed with the higher notes.


Common Reasons:

  • You should know that fluids accumulate in your throat while you’re sleeping. It’s the same thing that happens when your eyes look swollen when you wake up in the morning.
  • When you don’t use your vocal cord while you sleep during the night, mucus starts to build up. Moreover, your vocal cords become dry because of breathing through your mouth while you sleep.
  • Those people who have the habit of using their mouths to breathe while they sleep make their vocal cords dry. This process is brought about by the tissues in your throat that collect fluid. It is the same as why your eyes get puffy when you wake up in the morning. The reason for this is that there is a shortage of lubrication in your vocal cords that hinder them from moving together. Lubrication helps to create a normal or higher pitch in your voice.
  • Blood circulation: Another thing that happens while you sleep is that circulation slows down. It only increases when you move, drink water or eat after waking up. So, if you are scheduled to sing at 9 am, you should wake up at 7 am. After taking your breakfast, make it a habit to take a walk. Did you notice that it’s easier to sing after jogging? Continue with your physical exercise after waking up because it boosts your diaphragm and lungs.
  • Muscle tension: It is a fact that your vocal cords become hardened when you sleep, so, you should stretch them out gently. Once you wake up, start talking to someone or just to yourself. After some time, you can start warming-up your voice in singing.
  • Another reason is that perhaps you can’t sleep well at night. When you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose, your voice can become hoarse during the winter season when radiators are working and the air is dry. The reason is that your nose humidifies the air in some ways, while the mouth doesn’t.
  • The so-called “reflux” can also cause the different sound of your voice in the morning. Some people have reflux during the daytime, while others experience it at night when they lie down. Your acid there that comes from protein goes up to your stomach that can cause inflamed vocal folds. Just like in guitar strings, when the folds are thicker, the pitch of the sound becomes lower.
Shall We Sing Now

How to Sing Well in the Morning?

  • Every morning, drink two glasses of water with a squeeze of lemon. You can also add lemon into your drinks to make it healthier to your throat.
  • When you’re having a shower in the morning with warm water and moist air, it makes your throat muscles relaxed. So, while you’re doing this, practice humming to exercise your voice. The steam will surely enable your vocal cords to open up. While taking a shower, you will feel that your muscles will begin to relax together with your vocal cords.
  • As a rule, be awake for two hours before singing. It is enough to tone your body and your vocal cords by waking up properly. In this case, you can do it any time of the day because your body has the same behavior every time it sleeps. For example, if you will sing at midnight, then, you should wake up at 4 pm and don’t sing before 6 pm.
  • Before taking any liquid in the morning, make it a habit to drink a big glass of water at room temperature. Drinking fresh lemon juice is also healthful. Remember that coffee can cause dehydration, so make sure to drink a glass of water after sipping coffee. On the other hand, orange juice and milk can cause throat clearing and phlegm. Therefore, avoid taking them in the morning. Got it?
  • You can also take a short jog to help enhance the circulation of blood throughout your body.
Related Posts:

9 thoughts on “Why I Can’t Sing Well In Morning?”

  1. Turns out my throat was just really dry because I sleep with my mouth open. I wonder if it’d help if I taped my mouth shut at night. haha

    Reply
  2. Thanks for your tips. I was always dealing with mucus in my throat nearly every morning when I wake up. I have tried taking a shower with warm water and drink a glass of warm lemon water.

    It solved my mucus problems.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Prarthana Cancel reply