That loss of hearing can affect your brain has been confirmed in multiple studies. (Just look at some of our previous blog posts.) Fortunately, it’s also been verified that you can recover some of that cognitive capacity through hearing aids.
We’re not saying that you will get more intelligent just by wearing hearing aids. But there’s some compelling research that suggests cognitive ability can be increased by using hearing aids lowering your risk for depression, dementia, and anxiety.
Your Brain is in Charge of a Substantial Portion of Your Hearing
To comprehend the connection between your ears and cognition, it’s crucial to realize that a significant portion of your hearing actually takes place 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 parts of your brain that decipher those sounds suddenly have a lot less to do.
Changes in your brain (and hearing), along with other considerations (such as social solitude), can lead to the onset of mental health problems. In individuals with untreated hearing loss, it’s not uncommon to notice an increase in the dangers for anxiety, depression, and dementia.
When you use hearing aids, you’re essentially “treating” your hearing loss. That means:
- Social alienation will be less likely. You will be more likely to engage with others if you’re able to hear and understand interactions.
- You can keep your hearing from becoming worse by wearing hearing aids along with regular monitoring.
- The parts of your brain responsible for hearing will get regular workouts; the more your brain works, the healthier your brain will be.
Keeping You on Your Toes
Hearing aids can counter dementia, anxiety, and depression because they stimulate your brain and your social life.
- Boosting awareness: Sometimes, you fall because you aren’t aware of your surroundings. Decreased hearing ability can substantially lessen your situational awareness. Identifying what direction sound is coming from can be as challenging as hearing sound in general. A fall or other accident can be the result.
- The health of your inner ear: Loss of hearing by itself will not trigger inner ear damage. But there is often a common cause for both loss of hearing and inner ear damage. In some cases, a hearing aid is part of the treatment program for loss of hearing which can also help inner ear injury.
- Modern technology: Hearing aids have started incorporating unique technology that is able to alert emergency contacts (or emergency services) when a person using the hearing aids experiences a fall. This can lessen long term injuries and complications though it won’t stop the fall itself.
The truth is, you have a higher chance of avoiding a fall when you’re wearing hearing aids. A hearing aid helps you stay more alert, more aware, and more connected, maximizing cognitive abilities and general health in the process.
Stop Neglecting Your Hearing Aid
None of this has even yet dealt with the fundamental hearing advantages of hearing aids. So it seems like when you factor in all of the positive aspects related to wearing hearing aids, it’s a no brainer. (Pretty obvious).
The problem is that many people don’t know they have hearing loss. It can be difficult to identify loss of hearing when it arises slowly over time. That’s the reason why getting a regular hearing test is essential. Without hearing aids, loss of hearing can exacerbate a wide range of other health concerns.
Hearing aids will minimize the likelihood of physical damage while helping to slow dementia and depression. Aside from helping your hearing, hearing aids offer a remarkable number of benefits.