Hearing aids could benefit about 28 million people. Of course, when we talk about data like that, we normally mean that those 28 million people would hear their surroundings a little more clearly if they had some help (like hearing aids). But your hearing aids will also help you take advantage of some other health benefits.
It turns out that something as easy as wearing your hearing aids could be good for your physical and mental health. These tiny gadgets can help counter (or delay) everything from depression to fall-induced-injury. Your hearing aids can literally keep you on your feet.
Mental Health Advantages of Hearing Aids
The connection between neglected hearing loss and mental decline is rather well demonstrated by modern medical studies. Mental illnesses including depression, cognitive decline, anxiety, and dementia, according to current thinking, can be triggered by hearing loss as a consequence of a combination of mental, physical and social factors.
So it’s not surprising that recent analyses has shown that hearing aids could have considerable mental health advantages.
Lowering Your Chances of Dementia
Your risk of dementia can be reduced, according to one study, by almost 20%. That’s a fantastic advantage when all you need to do is remember to wear your hearing aids on a daily basis.
In other research, the onset of dementia was slowed by as much as two years by wearing hearing aids. This is very inspiring and with more research done to replicate and clarify these figures, we can come a long way in the battle against mental decline and illness.
Anxiety And Depression Can be Reduced
Countless individuals suffer from anxiety and depression even if hearing loss is not a problem for them. But there is enough evidence to indicate that people who have hearing loss are at increased risk of developing both depression and anxiety as time passes.
Wearing your hearing aids can help you stay socially active and mentally connected. If those were contributing factors to depression and anxiety, they can help.
You’ll Feel Less Lonely
While dementia may sound much more severe, isolation can be a big problem for individuals with untreated hearing loss, caused by and exacerbating a sense of social solitude. Your overall mood can be considerably influenced by social separation. So it can be a huge advantage if your hearing aids can help you continue to be socially active.
And this is a good reason why, for example, your hearing aid can help prevent conditions like depression. To some degree, all of these health concerns connect in some manner.
The Physical Benefits of Hearing Aids
There is some evidence which suggests that as hearing loss symptoms become more obvious, your risk of stroke escalates. But these studies are in preliminary phases. It’s a little simpler to recognize the more pronounced physical advantage of hearing aids: you won’t fall as often.
This happens for two reasons:
- Fall detection: Sometimes, it’s not the fall that’s dangerous. Rather, it’s your inability to get back up that can be a real problem. Many new designs of hearing aids come with fall detection as a standard feature. With certain settings enabled, when you take a tumble, a call will automatically be made to one of your pre-programmed emergency contacts so they know to check on you.
- Situational awareness: If your pet, for instance, is zooming out to greet you, you will be able to hear them coming and will be prepared for them to be under your feet.
Falling can have pretty significant health impacts, especially as you age. So avoiding falls (or decreasing the damage from falling) can be a major benefit that ripples throughout your general health.
Make Certain You Wear Your Hearing Aids
It’s worth noting that all of these benefits apply to those who have hearing ailments. If your hearing is healthy, then using a hearing aid will likely not decrease your risk of dementia, for instance.
But using your hearing aids, if you do have hearing loss, is the best thing you can do for overall health.