That loss of hearing can affect your brain has been verified in several studies. (Some of our other blogs clearly reveal that.) Fortunately, it’s also been verified that you can regain some of that cognitive ability by using hearing aids.
This is not saying that hearing aids are in some manner going to make you more intelligent. But there’s some compelling research that suggests hearing aids can enhance cognitive abilities, lowering your risk for depression, dementia, and anxiety.
Your Brain is in Charge of a Substantial Amount of Your Hearing
To recognize the link between your ears and cognition, it’s important to recognize that a substantial portion of your hearing actually happens in your brain. That’s where the vibrations of the world are converted into the sounds of your environment. So as your hearing diminishes, the regions of your brain that translate those sounds suddenly have a lot less to do.
Changes in your brain (and hearing), coupled with other considerations (like social alienation), can lead to the onset of mental health issues. In persons with untreated hearing loss, it’s not uncommon to notice an increase in the chances of depression, anxiety, and dementia.
Your effectively “treating” your hearing loss when you’re using hearing aids. That means:
- You won’t be as likely to isolate yourself socially. You will be more likely to participate with people if you can hear and understand discussions.
- Because you’ll be able to couple your hearing aids with regular screening and other treatments, you can help keep your hearing from becoming increasingly worse.
- Your brain stays healthier if it continues doing work; your brain will be getting a more consistent workout in the parts responsible for hearing.
Staying Attentive
Hearing aids can prevent depression, anxiety, and dementia because they enhance your brain and your social life.
- Inner ear health: Inner ear damage is not triggered by loss of hearing alone. Notwithstanding, sometimes loss of hearing and inner ear issues have a common cause. So treating the one can help you treat the other, and in certain cases, a hearing aid is a part of that treatment routine.
- State of the art technology: Hearing aids have started incorporating unique technology that is able to alert emergency contacts (or emergency services) when someone using the hearing aids experiences a fall. This can prevent long lasting injuries and complications although it won’t stop the fall itself.
- Creating stronger awareness: At times, because you aren’t aware of your surroundings, you may have a fall. Your situational awareness can be significantly hindered by hearing problems. Not only can it be challenging to hear sounds, but it can also be challenging to figure out what direction sounds are coming from. A fall or other injury can be the result.
Ultimately, when you’re wearing a hearing aid, you’re more likely to avoid a fall to start with. A hearing aid enhances your physical health and your cognitive capacity while carrying out the important tasks of helping you stay more mindful, more focused, and more dialed in.
Stop Neglecting Your Hearing Aid
None of this has even yet dealt with the basic hearing benefits of hearing aids. So when you consider that amplified hearing, include the mental health benefits and physical well-being, it seems as if wearing these devices should be an easy decision (not something you need to put your thinking cap on for).
The problem is that many people don’t know they have hearing loss. When your hearing fades away slowly, you may have a difficult time noticing. That’s the reason why it’s essential to get your hearing tested on a regular basis. Without hearing aids, loss of hearing can exacerbate a number of of other health concerns.
Hearing aids will lessen the possibility of physical injury while helping to delay dementia and depression. Aside from helping you hear, hearing aids provide a remarkable number of advantages.