Hearing aids could benefit about 28 million people. What this means is that 28 million people could here their environment better if they wore hearing aids. But there are also certain other, fairly surprising health advantages that you can begin to enjoy thanks to your hearing aids.
As it turns out, something as straight forward as using your hearing aids could help your physical and mental health. These tiny devices can help prevent (or delay) everything from injury from a fall to depression. In more ways than one, your hearing aids can help you stay on your feet.
Mental Health Advantages of Hearing Aids
Modern medical studies have firmly demonstrated a link between cognitive decline and hearing loss. Mental illnesses such as depression, cognitive decline, anxiety, and dementia, in line with current thinking, can be triggered by hearing loss as a consequence of a mix of physical, mental and social factors.
So it’s no surprise that recent analyses has suggested that hearing aids might have significant mental health benefits.
Dementia Risks Decreased
According to one study, wearing your hearing aids can help reduce your chances of developing dementia by as much as 18%. And all you have to do to make the most of this awesome benefit is remember to wear your hearing every day.
Other studies have indicated that wearing your hearing aids on a regular basis can slow the onset of dementia by up to two years. This is very encouraging and with more research done to duplicate and clarify these figures, we can come a long way in the fight against cognitive decline and illness.
Reduce Anxiety And Depression
Lots of people suffer from anxiety and depression even if they don’t have hearing loss. But there is enough evidence to indicate that those who have hearing loss are at increased risk of developing both depression and anxiety as time goes on.
When you have hearing aids, you are likely to stay more mentally focused and engaged socially. Hearing aids can be especially helpful if those factors are contributing to depression and anxiety.
You’ll be Less Lonely
While it may not sound as dire or important as dementia, loneliness can be a big issue for people with neglected hearing loss, caused by and exacerbating a sense of social solitude. That social isolation can cause significant changes to your disposition. So being able to continue to be social and involved thanks to your hearing aid can be a big advantage.
And this is an excellent reason why, for example, your hearing aid can help counter conditions such as depression. To a certain degree, all of these health concerns connect in some manner.
The Physical Advantages of Hearing Aids
There’s some evidence which suggests that as hearing loss symptoms become more obvious, your risk of stroke goes up. But that particular research is undoubtedly in the preliminary stages. The most pronounced (and noticeable) physical advantage of hearing aids is a little simpler: you’ll fall less frequently.
There are a couple of reasons for this:
- Situational awareness: This means you’ll be more capable of steering clear of obstacles that could cause a fall. For instance, if your pet is running to greet you, you hear them and anticipate them rushing around the corner.
- Fall detection: Frequently, it’s getting back up after a fall that is the significant danger, not the fall itself. Many new models of hearing aids come with fall detection built in. With certain settings enabled, when you have a fall, a call will immediately be made to one of your pre-programmed emergency contacts so they will know to check up on you.
As you get older falling down can have a devastating effect on your health. So your general health can be safeguarded by reducing damage from falls or preventing them altogether.
Wear Your Hearing Aids Everyday
These advantages, it’s worth pointing out, pertain to individuals who suffer from hearing impairment. If your hearing is healthy, then using a hearing aid will likely not decrease your risk of cognitive decline, for example.
But using your hearing aids, if you do have hearing loss, is the best thing you can do for general health.