Multiple studies have verified that hearing loss can have an impact on your brain. (Some of our other blogs clearly reveal that.) Luckily, it’s also been verified that you can recover some of that cognitive capacity through hearing aids.

This is not to imply that hearing aids are in some manner going to make you more intelligent. But there’s some compelling research that suggests hearing aids can increase cognitive abilities, lowering your risk for depression, dementia, and anxiety.

Your Brain is in Charge of a Substantial Portion of Your Hearing

It’s essential to recognize how significant a part your brain plays in hearing if you are going to comprehend the connection between cognition and your ears. It’s the brain’s task to convert sound vibrations into recognizable sound information. So as your hearing diminishes, the parts of your brain that translate those sounds suddenly have much less to do.

When combined with other variables (like social isolation), the alterations in your brain (and hearing) can lead to the onset of specific mental health issues. In persons with untreated hearing loss, it’s not uncommon to notice an increase in the chances of depression, anxiety, and dementia.

When you use hearing aids, you’re essentially “treating” your hearing loss. That means:

• Because you’ll be capable of coupling your hearing aids with routine screening and other treatment methods, you can help keep your hearing from getting increasingly worse.
• Your brain will stay healthier if it keeps working; your brain will be getting a more frequent workout in the regions responsible for hearing.
• Social alienation will be less likely. You will be more likely to engage with others if you’re able to hear and understand discussions.

Staying Attentive

Hearing aids enhance your brain and your social life and can lessen depression, anxiety, and dementia.

• The health of your inner ear: Inner ear injury is not triggered by hearing loss alone. But there is normally a common cause for both hearing loss and inner ear damage. So treating the one can help you treat the other, and in many situations, a hearing aid is a component of that treatment routine.
• Modern technology: Hearing aids have begun incorporating novel technology that is able to alert emergency contacts (or emergency services) when a person wearing the hearing aids has a fall. This can prevent lasting complications and injuries although it won’t prevent the fall itself.
• Creating better awareness: At times, you fall because you aren’t aware of your environment. Decreased ability to hear can significantly reduce your situational awareness. Determining which direction sound is coming from can be as difficult as hearing sound in general. Without treatment, this can end up resulting in injury or a fall.

Ultimately, when you’re wearing a hearing aid, you’re more likely to avoid a fall to start with. A hearing aid keeps you more alert, more aware, and more tuned in, strengthening cognitive abilities and physical health in the process.

Start Wearing Your Hearing Aid

None of this has even yet dealt with the fundamental hearing benefits of hearing aids. So when you consider that amplified hearing, factor in the mental health benefits and physical well-being, it seems like using these devices should be a simple choice (not something you need to put your thinking cap on for).

The problem is that many people don’t know they have hearing loss. When your hearing disappears slowly, you may have a difficult time recognizing it. That’s the reason why getting a routine hearing exam is essential. Without hearing aids, hearing loss can exacerbate a wide range of other health concerns.

Hearing aids will reduce the likelihood of physical damage while helping to slow dementia and depression. That’s an impressive combination of benefits that hearing aids provide, and they also help your hearing.