Why As We Age, Our Voices Change

Our bodies change as we age, resulting in modifications to our physical appearance and even to the way we think. Our vocals undergo an interesting change, going from a squeaky tone to a more adult one. Have you ever pondered how this comes about? This is the response to a question that was posted on the social media site Quora.

Our vocal chords are vital to creating the sound of our voice, according to a BBC article. The respiratory system organ that facilitates airflow from the neck to the lungs is the larynx, which contains these cords. Sound is produced when air from the lungs travels through the larynx and vibrates the vocal cords.

The vocal cords, which are made up of three major parts—the vocalis muscle, vocal ligament, and a mucous membrane containing glands that provide protection—maintain surface moisture and provide protection from harm. Furthermore, there are around seventeen muscles in the larynx that may change the vocal cords’ tension and position, which will change the sound that is generated.

Additional information from the website reveals that there is very little difference in the vocal cord production of boys and girls before to puberty. However, hormone changes become involved with the start of puberty. These modifications in males include anatomical changes to the larynx that result in the growth of the Adam’s apple and an elongated vocal chord. Male voice chords normally measure around 16mm (0.63 inches) after adolescence, whereas female vocal cords typically measure about 10mm (0.39 inches).

Additionally, female voice chords tend to be 20–30% thinner after puberty. Women often have higher-pitched voices than males do because of their shorter and thinner vocal chords. It’s interesting to note that hormonal changes may affect our voices well beyond puberty. The stage of a woman’s menstrual cycle may affect the sound of her voice; the ovulatory phase is often linked to the best vocal quality. During this stage, the glands produce more mucus, which improves the function of the vocal cords and produces better-sounding voice.

Our voices fluctuate significantly during life due to hormonal changes and puberty, which emphasizes the complex connection between biology and voice modulation.