The mind and the body are far more closely connected than many realize, to the point that to consider them separate realms of health might be a mistake. What affects the body almost always affects the mind in some way. In no arena is this more true than in hearing health. Here, we’re going to look at the connections between the two and why, as a result, taking care of your hearing is taking care of your mental health, as well.
Its impact on mood
People who have hearing loss, especially if it is undiagnosed and untreated, can find themselves at a much greater risk of depression. This can be a result of the social isolation that often comes as a part of hearing loss, while some people can find their mood falling as they mourn their own sense of hearing. Taking steps to improve one’s quality of life and ability to interface with the world, such as with hearing aids, can help mitigate these effects by decreasing the impact of hearing loss.
Stress and anxiety
For most people, hearing and listening are automatic, they are something that we usually do without thinking much about it, at all, unless we’re in an especially loud environment. People with untreated hearing loss may have to actively try to listen and concentrate a lot harder on communication coming their way. This added effort can add no small amount of stress to their life, and the threat of misunderstandings and misinterpretation can be a significant cause of anxiety as well. Some hearing aids have specific features that make them much better at picking up voices and lowering the amplification of background noise for that exact reason.
The impact on sleep
Sleep is just as important to mental health as anything else. Failing to get the sleep you need can increase stress significantly. While hearing loss may not necessarily affect sleep, tinnitus certainty can. The role of hearing specialists includes not just the treatment of hearing loss, but can also include options to address tinnitus as well. Furthermore, a lot of people who experience hearing loss may also experience tinnitus, and vice versa. As such, it’s important not to ignore any symptoms that your hearing health has changed, as treating it early can prevent other issues from cropping up later.
Long-term impacts on the brain
It has been conclusively demonstrated now that hearing loss can exacerbate issues of cognitive decline in adults, and it is now recognized as a risk factor for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. What’s more, hearing loss is also a risk factor for psychosis, a condition that can include symptoms such as auditory hallucinations. The risk factors posed by hearing loss are thought to decrease significantly when the condition is treated. As such, a hearing test is always worth making time for.
Your hearing health can be vital to your quality of life, so be sure not to neglect it. Arrange for a hearing test if you haven’t had one in a while.