Vocal rest

{{short description|Resting the vocal folds by not speaking and singing}}

{{More citations needed|date=November 2016}}

Vocal rest or voice rest is the process of resting the vocal folds by not speaking and singing typically following viral infections that cause hoarseness in the voice, such as the common cold or influenza or more serious vocal disorders such as chorditis or laryngitis.{{cite web|url=http://www.radford.edu/~dcastong/ARTARCH/vocal.html |title=Maintaining Vocal Health |access-date=2011-04-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710151523/http://www.radford.edu:80/~dcastong/ARTARCH/vocal.html |archive-date=2011-07-10 }} Vocal rest is also recommended after surgery to removal of vocal fold lesions, such as vocal fold cysts.{{Cite journal|last1=Franco|first1=Ramon A.|last2=Andrus|first2=Jennifer G.|title=Common Diagnoses and Treatments in Professional Voice Users|journal=Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America|volume=40|issue=5|pages=1025–1061|doi=10.1016/j.otc.2007.05.008|pmid=17765694|year=2007}} In many other cases however, vocal rest is used by actors before a show by not speaking to rest their voice to get its full potential come show time.

The purpose of vocal rest is to hasten recovery time. It is believed that vocal rest, along with rehydration, will significantly decrease recovery time after a cold.{{cite web|url=http://www.scena.org/lsv/sv2-7/sv2-7Doctor.htm |title=Answers for Singers with Colds |website=Scena.org |access-date=2016-11-03}} It is generally believed, however, that if one needs to communicate one should speak and not whisper. The reasons for this differ; some believe that whispering merely does not allow the voice to rest and may have a dehydrating effect,{{cite web|url=http://www.uiowa.edu/~shcvoice/fatigue-faq.html |title=Voice Academy: Fatigue |access-date=2006-05-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505124531/http://www.uiowa.edu:80/~shcvoice/fatigue-faq.html |archive-date=2006-05-05 }} while others hold that whispering can cause additional stress to the larynx.{{cite web|url=http://www.melissacross.com/melissa_cross_vocal_solution03.php |title=Welcome to the Melissa Cross Vocal Studio :: Vocal Solutions and Voice Lessons for a New Breed |website=Melissacross.com |access-date=2016-11-03}}