6 Ways You Can Promote Better Hearing

According to statistics published by the World Health Organization, over five percent of the world's population has disabling hearing loss, meaning an inability to hear any noises below 40 decibels (dB). Moreover, around a third of people over 65 years of age are impacted in some way by disabling hearing loss. Although some of this is inevitably tied to genetics, much of it is preventable.

It's all about choosing a lifestyle that promotes better hearing and making the right choices for your ears. With that in mind, here are a few steps you can take to keep your hearing loud and clear and improve both your body and mind.

Meditate

Anxiety can be a significant stressor on your brain, which in turn has the potential to adversely impact your hearing. Take the time to find a quiet place, relax, and close your eyes. Focus on taking deep, slow breaths.

Do this for as little as ten minutes during your daily downtime, and you might be surprised at how much better you become at processing and understanding sound, while also improving your ability to focus in the workplace.

Keep Your Ear Canals Open

If you've noticed a build-up of earwax, your first instinct may be to reach for a Q-Tip. Believe it or not, this is actually one of the worst things you can do. For one, it doesn't actually remove all the wax; instead, it pushes much of it deeper into your ear canal.

It also has the potential to damage your eardrums or ear canal, particularly if you slip and fall while cleaning your ears.

Prior to making an attempt at removing earwax yourself, you should visit your Audiologist or Physician for an otoscopic exam. If it appears safe for you to do so, your Physician may recommend ear drops to soften the earwax. Wait a day or so for the wax to soften, and then clean your ear out with some warm water. Easy, right?

Try Sound Focus Exercises

Take two sources of sound, and place each one in different parts of the room. Turn up the volume on each, so that they're audible (but not excessive). With your eyes closed, alternate your focus between each one.

You might consider having a friend walk around the room reading something out loud, or simply have two different podcasts running at the same time.

Eat a Proper Diet and Keep Active

Believe it or not, a lack of proper nutrition and exercise can actually have a pronounced - and highly negative impact on your hearing health. According to the National Institute of Health, fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of hearing loss by up to 30 percent. Other good foods include whole grains, nuts, fish, and poultry.

Naturally, you'll want to avoid sugary and processed food and drink, consuming them only in moderation.

While excessive exercise can, as noted by health publication Very Well Health, lead to hearing loss, it also helps reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and several other conditions which may include hearing damage as a side effect.

Practice Sound Location

If you find yourself having difficulty communicating with others in a noise-dense area, you might consider sound location training. Take an object which emits a repetitive or constant sound, and have someone hide it somewhere in a noisy room or workspace. Concentrate on the sound, and follow it to the best of your ability until you can locate it.

Mind The Noise

Last but certainly not least, let's talk about noise levels. First, if you like listening to loud music, ditch the earbuds. While it's better to avoid putting that much strain on your ears, it's at least marginally better if you wear a headset rather than pumping high-dB audio right into your ear canal.

Second, make sure you wear proper noise protection gear when subjecting yourself to loud noise. Per research published on statistics site Statista, noise is one of the most common causes of hearing damage and hearing loss. By ensuring you have the right protection, such as headphones, earplugs, and so on, you can significantly reduce your chances of suffering from noise damage.

Keep Hearing Loud and Clear

Aside from maintaining a lifestyle that promotes healthy ears and a healthy body, I'd also strongly recommend booking an annual hearing exam if you can. This ensures that if you do have any pre-existing conditions or genetic factors impacting your hearing, you can catch them sooner rather than later. Think of it like going to the dentist to promote healthy gums and teeth.

Sure, you can do without it. But in the long run, you may suffer for that.

Written by Dr. Pauline Dinnauer, VP of Audiological Care at Connect Hearing