Do you ever feel tired after a conversation? Do you often feel mentally drained after interacting with other people? These feelings of exhaustion after social interactions and conversations can be the result of hearing loss.
Hearing loss doesn't only affect your ears, it also affects your mental health and overall well-being. When left untreated, hearing loss prevents certain sound signals and frequencies from reaching your brain. This results in a lack of stimulation for the brain because it's missing out on sounds it needs to process and retain information. After time, your brain will begin to forget those certain sounds, and studies show this can possibly lead to cognitive decline and even dementia.
If you have hearing loss and are concerned about cognitive decline, one option is to manage your hearing loss with hearing aids. Hearing aids can provide your brain with the proper sound stimulation it needs to remain active and healthy. Below are some ways in which hearing aids can help prevent cognitive decline and allow you to feel - and hear - your best.
Lessen your cognitive load. Hearing aids make it easier for your brain to hear and comprehend certain sounds. When left untreated, hearing loss makes your brain work harder because you are constantly straining to understand speech and sounds. An overworked brain doesn't work as efficiently and can leave your feeling mentally drained after a conversation.
Stimulate brain activity. By providing your brain with proper stimulation, hearing aids help keep you mentally healthy. Brain cells can shrink from lack of stimulation, including the parts of the brain that receive and process information. Hearing aids can provide your brain with the proper exercise it needs to remain healthy.
Give you confidence to engage. If you have hearing loss, then you may feel embarrassed to engage in social settings because you can't hear the conversation well or you may respond inappropriately. This can lead to social isolation or avoiding social settings where you may have to engage with others. The less interaction you have with other people, the less stimuli your brain receives, which has been connected to cognitive decline over time. Hearing aids can give you the confidence to engage in the conversation and be socially active.
Untreated hearing loss can have many negative effects on your mental health and well-being. It's important to manage any signs of hearing loss early with hearing aids in order to be proactive about your overall health. Call us today to set up an appointment. We can test your hearing and help you find a pair of hearing aids that will allow you to hear the conversation and provide your brain with the stimulation it needs. Together, we can help you prevent cognitive decline.
If you need further assistance with your hearing aids call our office today or Schedule an Appointment.