Make sure you don’t fall victim to hearing loss and you can experience a healthier social life, cutting your chance of falls and boosting your self-confidence. While you probably realize already that maintaining top-notch physical fitness during your senior years is important to keeping a good level of health, reducing the chance of anything from stroke to diabetes to cancer, you may not be aware that good hearing health can boost your youth and vitality. Here are some ways in which good hearing can help you maintain your youth.
Increased job performance and job prospects. If your hearing is lacking, you naturally can’t hear important instructions or safety precautions, or participate readily in colleague discussions or meetings. This can affect your job performance or edge you out of your profession.
Higher level of alertness. When your hearing is excellent, so too is your immediate reactions to anything from fire alarms to sirens to car horn blasts. By hearing and responding quickly to these sounds when they happen, you can ward off potentially dangerous situations quickly.
Better social and sex life. Hearing impaired seniors who don hearing aids have been known to experience an improved social life and sex life. In addition, they have better overall mental health and a sense of independence.
Increased sense of confidence. Those with difficulties in hearing can have a lack of self confidence or self-esteem because they can’t interact easily with others in social situations like parties. The result? They may avoid going to parties, meetings and get-togethers because of this fear.
Keep dementia away. Hearing loss and dementia are linked, according to the National Institute on Aging. As we age, our brains shrink, especially in those who have hearing loss. But along with that shrinkage comes an increased risk of dementia.
Less likely to fall and get hurt. If you can hear, you don’t have as high a chance of falling: true fact. In fact, those with a 25-decibel hearing loss have three times more of a chance of falling than those who don’t suffer from hearing loss. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people who can’t hear well don’t have as much of a stable awareness of their surroundings, and can trip and fall easier.
Listen well in school. If you find yourself in the classroom again as a senior, it helps if you have a sharp sense of hearing. This allows you to understand the teacher’s instructions more clearly and thus have an overall easier classroom experience.
Obtaining better blood flow and oxygen for the ear canal. When you exercise, such as walk briskly around the neighborhood, you experience increased blood flow to the ears. This protects the ear canal, which can then guard against hearing loss.
Head to the hospital less often. Hearing impairments, which can increase your risk of going to the hospitals due to falls and other events, can actually lead to more frequent periods of inactivity. Depression and decreased levels of physical fitness can then result.
Interact well with others. With a hearing impairment, it’s difficult to communicate with anyone from your boss to your friends. Hearing loss can alienate you from getting the information you need to lead a successful life. Instead, having better hearing means you feel more confident that you can easily talk with others, allowing you to be present and engaged.