Speak and Spill Stress
Question: Why do you scream?
You scream because you are angry or scared. You do this because there is catharsis. Wikipedia describes this as “Catharsis is the purification and purgation of emotions”
Do you feel catharsis when you scream?
What about just any one of the other 125Hz to 8kHz combinations of Hz your voice can make? In our daily lives, there are several emotions you keep bundles inside of us. Emotions that make us stressed, you need to let these out.
Ever wondered the other types of emotions you can let out through any combination of your 125Hz to 8kHz vocal range? Let us take you on a journey to discover the techniques of the power of voice to calm your emotions to restore and renew you….
IN our lives, we are so caught up with stimulus, targets and ego that we often do not realize what it feels like when our nervous system is in balance.
Calm yet alert and focused.
Let’s listen to our body first.
Observe your muscles — are they tense or sore, cramped or aching?
Observe your breath — is it shallow or deep?
Place your hands on your belly then your chest — do you feel the cycles created? Which hand moves first? How different are your deep breaths from your shallow breaths?
NOW that you have checked in with your body, let us identify your stress response — overexcited or under-excited, agitated or spaced out.
WE move onto engaging your senses….
These are the following ways your ability to speak can relax you:
- Vocal toning: this technique reduces the stress hormones. Sneak off to a quiet place, sit up straight and simply make “mmmm” sounds with your lips together and teeth slightly apart. Try experimenting with other drawn-out vowel sounds or syllables. This creates a vibration deep within the body that is very soothing.
- Talking to yourself in the third person: Some call this the ‘Batman effect’, which is curating an alter ego to take a distanced perspective of what you are feeling. This results in much less anxiety, and increased proactiveness in coping with the situation. Did you know Beyonce and Adele both have alter egos they call upon when performing.
- Talk with someone: This could be friends, therapist, or even Mom! Whatever it is, have a strong support network.
- Let out a Sigh: Take in a deep breath, and calmly let out a big Sigh
Citations:
[1] Vocal Toning: Vocal Toning Demo
[2] Talking to yourself in the third person: Umich_LSA_BatmanEffect_Study, Talking to Yourself in the Third Person
[3] Talk with someone: Mother’s Voice
[4] Let out a Sigh: Forbes Vocal Techniques
