Everybody loves the concept of a miracle cure that helps increase your lifespan. In fact, a quick internet search will probably return thousands of such miracle remedies (if not more), each promising to help you live longer if you employ one simple trick. The healthcare community doesn’t endorse the vast majority of these alleged cures as they have no real medical basis.
But there are some legit things you can do to help you get a longer lifespan. For instance, eating a healthy diet (especially one low in sodium and saturated fats) or quitting smoking can significantly impact your expected lifespan.
Making use of hearing aids to treat hearing loss is also in this group. That’s according to recent research published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, a multidisciplinary publication committed to healthy aging. So, will using hearing aids to treat hearing loss help improve longevity? There’s a strong possibility that it will according to this research.
Is hearing loss a health risk?
The relationship between your hearing health and your general wellness isn’t necessarily new to researchers. The fact that neglected hearing loss can substantially increase your risk of developing dementia is well founded, for instance.
Many individuals, however, are not aware of these risks. They think that hearing loss will only affect one aspect of their lives and is a mere nuisance. But when left untreated, hearing loss can pose bigger health concerns than a simple inconvenience.
Is there a connection between hearing aids and lifespan?
Usually, wearing hearing aids as often as possible will be the primary way to manage hearing loss. from this perspective, do hearing aids reduce the risk of early death? There is a definite possibility, according to this recent study, that hearing aids can reduce your risk of early death. There is a 24% reduction in mortality risk for individuals with hearing loss who regularly use hearing aids, as reported by this study. The participants in this study, in other words, who wore their hearing aids, tended to live longer.
The advantages of hearing aids
The study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity isn’t exactly conclusive proof that hearing aids will help you live longer (though the study does strongly indicate a connection). But we already have a large body of evidence about the many advantages of using hearing aids and this just adds to that body.
- Cognition can be enhanced by wearing hearing aids. Over time, your brain will be healthier and less tired from straining to hear.
- Hearing aids can help you enjoy everyday moments with friends and family, from going out to lunch with colleagues to asking your grandchildren about their school day.
- You may also be more mindful of your surroundings. This can help prevent accidents, injuries, and mishaps.
- Social situations can become considerably easier. This can reduce the amount of social separation you feel, improving your overall mental wellness.
Whenever you wear your hearing aids, you will feel these improvements to your life. For these reasons alone, hearing aids are a significant part of managing your hearing loss.
Hearing is a major part of your health and wellness
The more we learn about the connections between hearing loss and the rest of your body, the more scientists have come to recognize that your hearing is an exceedingly significant part of your total health and wellness. Your risk of early mortality can be diminished by managing any hearing loss you may have with hearing aids.
If you suspect that you may have some level of hearing loss, it’s time to call us for a consultation.