Hearing aids could help about 28 million people. Of course, when we talk about statistics like that, we normally mean that those 28 million individuals would hear the world a little bit better if they had some help (like hearing aids). But there are also some other, fairly unexpected health benefits 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 mental and physical health. These tiny devices can help stop (or forestall) everything from depression to fall-induced-injury. In many ways, your hearing aids can help you stay on your feet.
Hearing Aids And Mental Health Advantages
The link between neglected hearing loss and cognitive decline is pretty well established by modern medical research. Mental illnesses including dementia, cognitive decline, anxiety, and depression, according to current thinking, can be triggered by hearing loss as a consequence of a mix of physical, mental and social factors.
So it’s not surprising that recent analyses has shown that hearing aids may have significant mental health benefits.
Dementia Risks Decreased
Your risk of dementia can be reduced, based on one study, by nearly 20%. And all you have to do to take advantage of this amazing advantage is remember to wear your hearing daily.
Other studies have suggested that wearing your hearing aids regularly can slow the onset of dementia by as many as two years. Further research needs to be carried out to help clarify and replicate these findings, but it’s certainly encouraging.
Decrease Anxiety And Depression
Countless individuals suffer from depression and anxiety even if they don’t have hearing loss. But individuals with hearing loss have been shown to be at a higher risk of depression and anxiety over time.
Wearing your hearing aids can help keep you socially involved and mentally connected. Hearing aids can be particularly helpful if those factors are contributing to depression and anxiety.
You Won’t Feel as Lonely
While it might not sound as serious or important as dementia, for people who have untreated hearing loss, isolation can be a real issue, caused by and exacerbating a sense of social solitude. That social isolation can cause considerable changes to your disposition. So being able to continue to be social and engaged 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. All of these health concerns, to a certain degree, are in some manner connected.
Hearing Aids And Physical Benefits
As your hearing impairment worsens, there is some research that shows that you may be at a higher risk of having a stroke. But these studies are in preliminary stages. The most obvious (and perceptible) physical benefit of hearing aids is a little simpler: you won’t fall as much.
This happens for two reasons:
- Situational awareness:
- Fall detection: At times, it’s not the fall that’s dangerous. Rather, it’s that you can’t get back up that can be a real problem. Fall detection is a standard feature of many newer hearing aid models. With certain settings equipped, when you take a tumble, a call will automatically be made to one of your pre-programmed emergency contacts so they will know to check up on you.
Falling can have fairly substantial health impacts, particularly as you age. So preventing falls (or decreasing the damage from falls) can be a significant advantage that ripples throughout your overall health.
Wear Your Hearing Aids Everyday
These advantages, it’s worth pointing out, apply to individuals who suffer from hearing impairment. If you have healthy hearing, then wearing a hearing aid will most likely not reduce your risk of cognitive decline, for example.
But if you do have hearing loss, the best thing you can do for your ears, and for the rest of your body, is to use your hearing aids.