About 28 million individuals could benefit from using hearing aids. Naturally, when we discuss statistics like that, we usually mean that those 28 million individuals would hear the world a little better if they had some help (in the form of a specialized device). But there are also certain other, rather unexpected health advantages that you can start to enjoy thanks to your hearing aids.
It turns out that something as straight forward as using your hearing aids could be good for your mental and physical health. These little devices can help counter (or delay) everything from injury from a fall to depression. In many ways, your hearing aids can help keep you on your feet.
Mental Health Benefits of Hearing Aids
Modern medical research has firmly established a connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. The current thinking is that, for a combination of social, mental, and physical causes, hearing loss can lead to an increased danger of mental illness, like anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and dementia.
So it’s no surprise that the latest analyses has shown that hearing aids may have significant mental health benefits.
Dementia Risks Decreased
Your chances of dementia can be decreased, based on one study, by almost 20%. And all you have to do to take advantage of this awesome advantage is remember to wear your hearing every day.
In other research, the arrival of dementia was slowed by as much as two years by using hearing aids. This is very inspiring and with more research conducted to replicate and clarify these figures, we can come a long way in the fight against mental decline and illness.
Reduce Depression And Anxiety
Countless people suffer from anxiety and depression even if hearing loss is not a problem for them. But there is plenty of evidence to indicate that people who have hearing loss are at a higher risk of developing both anxiety and depression as time passes.
When you have hearing aids, you are likely to stay more mentally focused and socially engaged. If those factors were contributing to depression and anxiety, they can help.
You’ll be Less Lonely
While it might not sound as dire or imperative as dementia, loneliness can be a serious problem for people who suffer from neglected hearing loss, caused by and exacerbating a sense of social isolation. Your general mood can be substantially impacted by social separation. So it can be a tremendous advantage if your hearing aids can help you remain socially involved.
To be sure, this is connected to your hearing aids’ ability to reduce the risks of depression, for instance. All of these health concerns, to some extent, are in some way connected.
The Physical Benefits of Hearing Aids
There’s some evidence which indicates that as hearing loss symptoms become more noticeable, your danger of stroke escalates. But that specific research is undoubtedly in the preliminary stages. It’s a little simpler to recognize the more obvious physical benefit of hearing aids: you’ll fall less often.
There are a couple of explanations for this:
- Fall detection: In some cases, it’s not the fall that’s hazardous. Instead, it’s your inability to get back up that produces possible danger. Fall detection is a built-in feature of many newer hearing aid designs. You can program emergency phone numbers into your phone which will automatically be called if you take a tumble.
- Situational awareness: This means you’ll be more capable of avoiding obstacles that could cause a fall. If your pet, as an example, is zooming out to greet you, you will hear them coming and will be ready for them to be under your feet.
As you get older falling down can have a disastrous effect on your health. So your overall health can be safeguarded by reducing damage from falls or preventing them entirely.
Make Certain You Wear Your Hearing Aids
It’s worth noting that all of these advantages apply to those who have hearing conditions. Hearing aids won’t, for instance, help somebody with healthy hearing avoid a fall.
But if you do have hearing loss, the smartest thing you can do for your hearing, and for the rest of your body, is to use your hearing aids.