Post-Games Expo Survival!

What a weekend it was at the UK Games Expo in Birmingham! So much to do and see and never enough time, right? Our creator Matt was showing off his growling pug voice with the new Anitooni app, as well as trying to get round as many games as humanly possible, as did thousands of other attendees.

Talking to Matt and reading tweets of this week of Expo-goers losing their voices after their enthusiastic gaming at this awesome event, I immediately mentally listed my top tips to get your voice back after a 'shouty' (technical phrase!) event like the games and Matt suggested I shared.




What gives an app social media admin person the authority to write about vocal care, you may ask? As the one member of the Vibe Apps and Anitooni team who’s other job is a professional opera singer (yep, random, I know - more about that in a later blog!), I have needed many quick fixes through the years to get me over illness and through a performance feeling under par, so I thought I’d share my best ways to recover from voice loss for the enthusiastic Expo-goer!


When doing a quick google search on voice loss from shouting, google returns with the best post I’ve read yet – suggesting top tips for actually losing your voice! So brilliant, I had to share...


1. Take up smoking. Possibly a little extreme!

2. Scream into a pillow. Or why not at your partner/children/work colleagues maybe?!

3. Drink vinegar. If you try this, you’ll be made of much stronger (and more stupid) stuff than me!

4. Keep your mouth open. May attract flies…


5. But the best way to lose your voice in a hurry could be attending an event where much enthusiastic shouting and cheering occurs – UK Games Expo anyone?


Ok that last one isn’t on the list.


So if you’ve done any of the above, (1-4, that’s just weird and we can’t be friends!) here are my top tips for recovering after such a voice-frying event:


1. Vocal rest. Nothing beats purely saving your voice as much as humanly possible – this includes no whispering! Surely whispering is OK? You ask. Actually, whispering tightens the throat and constricts the vocal folds and dries your voice out even more. So, pen and paper to communicate only I’m afraid!


2. Steam, steam, steam! Your best friend is a bowl of steaming water and a towel – the most direct way of getting moisture to your throat and voice. And if you don’t mind smelling like your granny’s bedroom, a drop of lavender is the best healer!


3. Lemon and ginger tea. But no namby-pamby tea bags, this is the really thing! Lemon juice and grated root ginger, steeped in hot water – with a spoon of honey if you need to take off the edge!
This, plus drinking as much water as is sensible, will keep you hydrated and flush out any nasty bugs you might have picked up.


4. And just to be a total buzz kill, avoid coffee and alcohol and noisy rooms (silent discos only?)!



The good news is, follow these steps and your voice should be back within a few days and back to normal in a week or so, in my experience!

But then again, if you’re not singing in an opera this weekend - grab a beer and party on!🍻

Check out and sign up for the new Anitooni app here:  https://anitooni.com/