Life can get hard sometimes. While no one is immune from work, home or school pressures, those with hearing loss can suffer from added stressors. Treating your hearing loss with hearing aids can help reduce your stress.
How Hearing Loss Increases Stress
With hearing loss, everyday communication can be stressful and exhausting. The increased mental effort needed to understand your family members, friends or colleagues can lead to mental fog and anxiety.
Better Hearing Can Improve Mental Health
Research has shown that using hearing aids can lead to improved mental health.
In a study on the benefits of hearing aids in treating stress, 31 elderly patients were asked to fill out a survey documenting their stress responses before and after being fitted for hearing aids. Researchers found that not only did hearing aids increase the level of satisfaction patients felt regarding their hearing but scores for depression, anxiety and anger showed a significant decrease as well.
Ways Hearing Aids Can Reduce Stress
- Help you stay physically active. Increased physical activity has been shown to lower stress levels, increase endorphins and boost your overall energy. Hearing aids can help increase your awareness of your surroundings and make it easier to perform physical activities like running or playing catch at Sandy Bottom Nature Park.
- Relieve tinnitus. Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing or similar noise in your ear. It can increase stress and anxiety, interrupt your sleep and affect your quality of life. Certain hearing aids can help relieve tinnitus symptoms which can help improve your sleep and lower your stress levels.
- Increase happiness. A study on the effects of optimism on cardiovascular health found that optimism led to a lower risk of cardiovascular events. Doing things that make you happy such as watching your favorite movie, spending time with your significant other or sailing with friends will not only improve your mood but bring you positive physical changes as well.
- Reduce social anxiety and isolation. People with strong social support have a decreased risk of depression, high blood pressure, unhealthy body mass index and more. Hearing loss can cause you to avoid social situations due to the difficulty of communication. Hearing aids can help make it easier to do things like engage with friends over a cup of coffee or have a fun conversation at a family dinner.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, call Hampton Roads ENT ~ Allergy today.