Something like 28 million individuals could benefit from wearing hearing aids. Needless to say, when we talk about statistics like that, we usually mean that those 28 million individuals would hear their surroundings a little more clearly if they had some help (in the form of a specialized device). But there are also some other, relatively unexpected health benefits that you can start to take advantage of thanks to your hearing aids.
As it turns out, something as easy as using your hearing aids could be good for your physical and mental health. These tiny devices can help counter (or forestall) everything from injury from a fall to depression. In many ways, your hearing aids can help keep you on your feet.
Mental Health Advantages of Hearing Aids
Modern medical research has firmly established a link between cognitive decline and hearing loss. Mental illnesses including depression, cognitive decline, anxiety, and dementia, in line with current thinking, can be induced by hearing loss as a consequence of a combination of physical, mental and social factors.
So it’s no surprise that the latest analyses has suggested that hearing aids may have substantial mental health benefits.
Lowering Your Chances of Dementia
Your risk of dementia can be reduced, according to one study, by almost 20%. And all you have to do to make the most of this amazing benefit is remember to wear your hearing daily.
Other studies have indicated that wearing your hearing aids regularly can delay the onset of dementia by as many as two years. This is very inspiring and with more research conducted to replicate and clarify these figures, we can come a long way in the battle against mental decline and illness.
Decrease Anxiety And Depression
Anxiety and depression aren’t symptoms that are unique to people who suffer from hearing loss. But people who suffer from hearing loss have been shown to have a higher risk of anxiety and depression over time.
Wearing your hearing aids can help you stay socially involved and mentally connected. If those factors were contributing to depression and anxiety, they can help.
You’ll be Less Lonely
While dementia might sound much more extreme, for people who have neglected hearing loss, loneliness can be a genuine issue, social solitude often being the cause and adding fuel to the fire. That social isolation can cause considerable changes to your disposition. So being able to remain social and engaged thanks to your hearing aid can be a big advantage.
And this is a good reason why, for example, your hearing aid can help protect against conditions such as depression. To a certain degree, all of these health problems connect in some manner.
The Physical Benefits of Hearing Aids
There’s some evidence which suggests that as hearing loss symptoms become more obvious, your risk of stroke escalates. But that specific research is definitely on the preliminary side. The most obvious (and perceptible) physical benefit of hearing aids is a little simpler: you’ll fall less frequently.
There are a couple of reasons for this:
- Fall detection: Frequently, it’s getting back up after a fall that is the real danger, not the fall itself. Fall detection is a built-in feature of many newer hearing aid designs. You can save emergency phone numbers into your phone which will be automatically called if you take a tumble.
- Situational awareness:
As you grow older falling down can have a devastating effect on your health. So preventing falls (or decreasing the damage from falling) can be a substantial advantage that ripples throughout your general health.
Make Certain You Wear Your Hearing Aids
It’s worth keeping in mind that all of these advantages apply to people who suffer from hearing ailments. If you have healthy hearing, then wearing a hearing aid will probably not decrease your risk of dementia, for example.
But using your hearing aids, if you do have hearing loss, is the smartest thing you can do for general health.