Everyone loves the idea of a miracle cure that helps you live longer. As a matter of fact, a brief internet search will likely return thousands of such miracle remedies (if not more), each promising to help you have a longer life if you employ one simple trick. Pretty much all of these so-called cures have no medical basis and are not endorsed by the healthcare community.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that nothing you do can positively impact your longevity. Your expected lifespan can be positively affected by quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet.
Using hearing aids to treat hearing loss is also in this group. And a multidisciplinary journal that centers around healthy aging, called The Lancet Healthy Longevity, has recently released research that underlines this. So, will using hearing aids to manage hearing loss help increase longevity? According to this research, it’s a distinct possibility.
Does hearing loss pose a risk to your health?
Researchers have been aware of the relationship between overall wellness and hearing health for quite some time. For instance, it has been well established that neglected hearing loss can considerably raise your risk of cognitive decline later in life.
These risks, however, are generally unknown by most individuals. They consider hearing loss to be an isolated inconvenience, something that only influences one very specific facet of their life. But the reality is that hearing loss is more than a simple nuisance, especially when neglected.
Is there a connection between hearing aids and longevity?
Usually, wearing hearing aids as much as possible will be the main way to manage hearing loss. So does this mean that you can decrease your risk of early death by using hearing aids? There is certainly a possibility, according to this recent research, that hearing aids can reduce your risk of early death. There is a 24% decrease in mortality risk for individuals with hearing loss who regularly use hearing aids, as reported by this study. In other words, the individuals observed in the study who wore hearing aids tended to live longer.
The benefits of hearing aids
Although The Lancet Healthy Longevity study strongly indicates a connection between hearing health and lifespan, it doesn’t absolutely prove that wearing hearing aids will help you live longer. But we already have a large body of evidence about the many advantages of using hearing aids and this just adds to that body.
- It will be easier to function in social situations. This will help your overall well-being by reducing your feelings of social solitude.
- Hearing aids can help you enjoy day-to-day moments with friends and family, from going out to lunch with colleagues to asking your grandkids about their school day.
- You might also be more conscious of your surroundings. This can help prevent accidents, injuries, and mishaps.
- Cognition can be increased by wearing hearing aids. Over time, your brain will be healthier and less tired from straining to hear.
These are improvements to your quality of life that you’ll feel each time you use your hearing aids. These are all great reasons to use hearing aids to manage your hearing loss.
Hearing is an important part of your health and wellness
Scientists have recognized that the health of your hearing plays a major role in your total wellness. If you have hearing loss, getting diagnosed and using hearing aids can significantly diminish your early mortality risks.
Seeing a hearing specialist can help you determine whether you have hearing loss and the best way to manage it.