What do hearing loss and lowered stress levels have in common? Reducing both can lead to healthier aging in the long run, including a decrease in cognitive decline.
Studies show that higher stress throughout life can lead to a greater chance of cognitive decline in one’s later years.1
In honor of Healthy Aging Month this September, we want to invite you to take steps toward living a happier, healthier life, regardless of your current age. The sooner healthier habits take root, the better the chances that you can enjoy the things about life you love most for many decades to come.
The best place to start is with a few simple, easy-to-do activities that can give you an edge starting today:
- Make a habit of going on brisk walks throughout the week.
- Check in with your primary care provider if you have not had a physical exam in more than a year.
- Get a hearing test to get an edge on hearing loss, a progressive condition that can enhance the effects of cognitive decline in later years.
More research continues to show that there is indeed a strong link between hearing loss and cognitive decline. One such study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), concluded that individuals with untreated hearing loss had a 24% increase in cognitive decline.2
Thankfully, hearing aids have been proven to help. A recent study published by the University of Melbourne reveals that 97% of study participants showed improvement in executive function, including their ability to plan, organize information and perform common everyday tasks.3
Self-care is not selfish. When you lower your stress levels, enhance your ability to communicate with your loved ones and set time aside for activities that matter to you, everyone around you wins.
Remember that it’s never too early to stay proactive with your health and seek treatment as soon as possible—even if you show no obvious symptoms of hearing loss. A healthier, happier you could be as simple as taking a hearing test today.
Call today to schedule a consultation.
1 Scott SB, Graham-Engeland JE, Engeland CG, Smyth JM, Almeida DM, Katz MJ, Lipton RB, Mogle JA, Munoz E, Ram N, Sliwinski MJ. The Effects of Stress on Cognitive Aging, Physiology and Emotion (ESCAPE) Project. BMC Psychiatry. 2015 Jul 3;15:146. doi: 10.1186/s12888-015-0497-7. PMID: 26138700; PMCID: PMC4490700. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4490700/
2 Lin, F. R., Yaffe, K., Xia, J., Xue, Q. L., Harris, T. B., Purchase-Helzner, E., Satterfield, S., Ayonayon, H. N., Ferrucci, L., Simonsick, E. M., & Health ABC Study Group (2013). Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults. JAMA internal medicine, 173(4), 293–299. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.1868
3 Sarant, J.; Harris, D.; Busby, P.; Maruff, P.; Schembri, A.; Lemke, U.; Launer, S. The Effect of Hearing Aid Use on Cognition in Older Adults: Can We Delay Decline or Even Improve Cognitive Function? J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9, 254. Melbourne School of Health Sciences: https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/news-and-events/new-research-shows-how-a-hearing-aid-could-help-your-brain