Why wearing a mask can wear out your voice

Face coverings are becoming the new normal as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Are people asking you to speak louder, or repeat yourself? Is your voice feeling hoarse after a longer conversation while wearing a mask? If so, here are some reasons why this may be happening.

Have you ever noticed how you have to concentrate more when you are having a phone conversation and you can't see the person speaking to you? That's because "listening" to someone is usually a combination of 2 skills: hearing the words, and watching the speaker's mouth. With a mask covering your face, the person you are speaking to has to rely solely on hearing you.

So if your diction is not great, your breath support poor, or your volume too low, you may not be coming across clearly. Instinctively, you will resort to speaking louder to make yourself understood, thereby straining your voice over longer conversations, or more frequent use. If you are getting hoarse on a regular basis, maybe it's time for you to consider voice lessons.