Lately, Chris has been a little bit forgetful. For the second month in a row, she missed her doctor’s appointment and has to reschedule. And before she went to bed she even overlooked running the dishwasher (looks like this morning she will have to handwash her coffee cup). Things have been getting lost lately. Chris has been feeling mentally fatigued and depleted all the time but, curiously, she doesn’t feel forgetful.
It can be difficult to recognize that feeling until it’s sneaking up on you. But despite how forgetful you might feel, the issue isn’t actually about memory. Your hearing is the actual issue. And that means you can considerably improve your memory by wearing one little device.
How to Enhance Your Memory And General Cognitive Function
So, getting a hearing exam is the first step to improve your memory so you will not forget that dentist appointment and will remember everyone’s name at the next meeting. If you have hearing loss a hearing exam will alert you to how severe your impairment is.
Chris hasn’t recognized any symptoms of hearing loss yet so she hesitates to schedule an appointment. She doesn’t really have an issue hearing in a crowded room. And she’s never had a difficult time hearing any of her team members at work.
But just because her symptoms aren’t noticeable doesn’t mean that they aren’t present. Actually, one of the first signs of hearing impairment is loss of memory. And strain on the brain is the root cause. It works like this:
- Slowly and nearly imperceptibly, your hearing starts to fade.
- Your ears detect a lack of sound, however slight.
- Your brain starts working a little harder to interpret and amplify the sounds you can hear.
- You can’t detect any real difference but in order to make sense of sound your brain has to work extra hard.
That type of constant strain can be really difficult on your brain’s limited resources. So you have less mental energy for things such as, well, memory or for other cognitive processes.
Dementia And Hearing Loss
If you take loss of memory to its most logical extremes, you could end up dealing with something like dementia. And hearing loss and dementia do have a link, though what the precise cause-effect relationship is, remains rather uncertain. Still, there is an elevated danger of cognitive decline in those who have untreated hearing loss, starting with some moderate memory loss and increasing to more extreme cognitive issues.
Wearing Hearing Aids Will Help You Prevent Fatigue
This is why it’s worthwhile to treat your hearing loss. Noticeable increase of cognitive function was observed in 97.3% of individuals with hearing loss who wore hearing aids for at least 18 months according to one study.
Numerous other research has shown similar benefits. It’s definitely helpful to wear hearing aids. Your general cognitive function improves when your brain doesn’t need to work as hard to hear. Sure, a hearing aid isn’t an absolute cure, cognitive decline or memory problems can be a complex mixture of factors and variables.
The First Symptom of Hearing Loss is Often Memory Loss
This kind of memory loss is commonly temporary, it’s an indication of exhaustion more than a fundamental change in how your brain functions. But that can change if the underlying problems remain un-addressed.
So if you’re noticing some memory loss, it can be an early warning of hearing loss. When you first notice those symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your hearing specialist. As soon as your fundamental hearing problems are addressed, your memory should return to normal.
And your hearing will probably improve as well. A hearing aid can help slow the decline in your hearing. In a sense, your total wellness, not only your memory, could be improved by these little devices.