MUSIC MAGIC FINDING MY VOICE AGAIN

ice disorder meant that associate news editor RIE ENGEL was unable to sing or talk properly, she realized Just how much her own music” was connected to who she was.

IF THERE'S ONE THING WH EDITORS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT

(ya know, besides fitness and wellness and all that good stuff), it's the transformative power of tunes. Whether we're sweating, crying, commuting, or just existing, music is a constant in our lives. But it's much deeper than that and it can mean different things to different people. It's a science-based tool that can be used for everything from meeting performance goals to communing with others and even regulating emotions. It's both a way to express your long-held identity and a way to find a new, more authentic one. Ahead, we detail methods for discovering your literal or metaphorical voice, unpack why certain bops do a number on us, and more. The one outcome we guarantee? You'll sing a whole new healthy song after reading this.

I'VE BEEN A SINGER MY ENTIRE LIFE.

Music, to me, has always been something personal, creative, and self-generated. For a long time, I was, in a sense, my own source of the "music" in my life. It was how I identified with memories, other people, and my family.

But when I was a sophomore in college, I developed painful nodules on my vocal folds from overuse (singing and socializing took a toll) that turned my confident voice into a whisper. For three years, I couldn't really sing. Doctors said they could operate, but it was a last resort and might not fix the problem. I didn't want to risk it. So, my music-and a big part of myself-was lost.

While the CDC estimates that 8 percent of Americans experienced a voice disorder in the past 12 months, Robert Sataloff, MD, chair of the department of otolaryngology at Drexel University College of Medicine, says most experts believe official numbers are drastic underestimates, since so many people simply live with poor voice quality.