Many people do not realize how important the voice is. This realization often comes only when there is a voice problem and people cannot use their voice as they used to. Functional dysphonia (FD) is a common voice disorder in which there are no underlying neurological or physical abnormalities. It can have a significant impact on daily life, since speaking is essential for work, social contacts, and self expression. In this research, we wanted to explore whether people with FD not only experience voice problems, but also show symptoms of disturbances in their autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS regulates our body’s involuntary functions, such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, and stress regulation. A key part of the ANS is the vagus nerve, which plays a major role in helping the body relax and recover after stress. It is often called the “rest and digest” system. Interestingly, this same nerve also controls parts of the larynx, our voice organ. Because of this connection, we expect there to be a link between autonomic dysfunction (AD) and FD. To investigate this, we used both instrumental physical measures such as heart rate and skin conductance and questionnaires on, for example, stress, fatigue, anxiety, sleep quality, etc. We compared the results of people with FD to those of vocally healthy controls. What did we find? People with FD reported feeling notably worse than the control group: they experienced more voice-related complaints, higher levels of stress and anxiety, poorer sleep, and greater fatigue. However, we did not find obvious differences in instrumental physical measures. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to determine whether such differences exist. Our research highlights the importance of not only focusing on measurable physical data, but also taking patients' experiences seriously, both in terms of voice and ANS function. This can help healthcare providers take a more holistic view of patients and customize treatments to meet their individual needs. Ultimately, we hope this will contribute to a better quality of life (QoL) for everyone affected by voice problems.