Voice is a powerful tool for self-regulation, acting as a direct interface with the nervous system to manage emotional and physiological states. By using the voice consciously, individuals can calm their own nervous system through practices like humming or singing, and can also help to regulate others by using a calm, assertive tone. The voice is connected to the vagus nerve, which means vocalizations like humming, chanting, or even speaking can engage the "rest-and-digest" part of the nervous system to promote a sense of calm and safety. 

How voice regulates your own nervous system

• Stimulates the vagus nerve: Vocalizing, especially with gentle sounds like humming, directly stimulates the vagus nerve. This can calm the nervous system and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. 

• Increases self-awareness: Paying attention to your own voice's pitch, tone, and rhythm can help you become more attuned to your emotional state and whether you are feeling regulated. 

• Reduces anxiety: Speaking your needs and boundaries aloud can move unspoken thoughts from your head to the outside world, which can help break cycles of worry and tension. 

• Builds confidence: Regularly using your voice to speak up for yourself can build self-confidence and reinforce your sense of self-worth. 

How voice regulates others (co-regulation)

• Calms a heightened state: A calm and neutral tone from a trusted adult can help a child (or another person) feel safe and secure. A teacher's calm, assertive voice can help guide and redirect a child's behavior. 

• Creates a sense of safety: When a person speaks in a way that conveys they are in a more balanced state, their voice's prosody can communicate, "I am safe with you and here for you". 

• Provides validation: Naming and validating a person's feelings in a calm voice can be a powerful co-regulation tool. For example, saying, "You're feeling frustrated. I'm here with you," can help them move from a dysregulated state toward one where they can think and communicate more clearly. 

Practical exercises for regulation

• Humming: Gently hum a note, or a sound like "Mmmmm" with your lips closed, and notice the resonance in your body. This can help soothe the vagus nerve. 

• Singing: Singing, whether in a choir or alone, engages the vocal cords and the nervous system in a way that can be deeply regulating. 

• Chanting/Repeating affirmations: Repeating a phrase or statement out loud can be a form of self-talk that helps to regulate your thoughts and feelings. 

• Deep breathing and sighing: Taking deep breaths and exhaling with a sigh can help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. 

• Co-regulated breathing: Practicing breathing alongside another person, especially in a calm, rhythmic way, can help the other person regulate their own nervous system.