Why Do Some People Lose Their Voices After Singing?

Sometimes people lose their voices after singing because their vocal cords get tired, like how your arms feel sore after playing a lot of catch.

When you sing, air from your lungs goes up through your trachea, then into your voice box, which is where your vocal cords live. These tiny muscles vibrate to make sound, just like when you blow across the top of a bottle and it makes a whoosh sound.

If you sing for a long time or really loudly, those vocal cords work super hard, like running around the playground nonstop. After a while, they get tired and can’t vibrate as well, that’s why your voice sounds hoarse or even disappears completely, like a whispery version of yourself.

Sometimes people also lose their voices because they sing too much in one go, just like how you might feel tired after eating three big ice creams in a row. Your vocal cords need time to rest and recover, so they can keep making music for you!