Your hearing is something you probably don’t give much thought. You might remember your grandparents wearing hearing aids, or you might know someone who has partial hearing loss. But, you might just assume that yours is as good as it’s going to get and that nothing will change until you get much older.
Well, this isn’t always the case. Some of us will suffer from partial, or total hearing loss much sooner. Imagine for a second not being able to hear, not being able to listen to your favorite TV shows or have a conversation with friends without assistance. Your hearing might be the sense that you most take for granted.
It’s also possible that your hearing isn’t as good as it’s ever going to be. In fact, there are plenty of things that you can do, not just to look after your hearing and prevent hearing loss, but also to improve it, so that you can hear finer details, different pitches and quieter sounds. You might think that some people just hear better than others, but give your hearing a workout and you could be one of them.
Get it Checked
We have a hearing examination when we’re kids at school, and then that’s it for many many years. You might not even get your hearing tested if you notice a problem, instead of trying potentially harmful home remedies. This means that you are just assuming that your hearing is the same as everyone else. Get it checked out now and then, just to make sure.
Close Your Eyes
You might have heard people say that when you lose one sense, your others are heightened. You don’t have to wait for a sense to be lost to take advantage of this. For a few minutes each day, sit still and close your eyes. Take the time just to listen. Try to do this in different locations as often as you can, so that the sounds aren’t always the same.
Challenge It
You might think that you can hear everything that it is possible for you to hear, but do you ever push yourself to hear more? Take the time to challenge your hearing. Make an effort to hear more. Try to pick out specific sounds, like birds signing or children laughing in the distance, and practice blocking out other sounds, like traffic.
You might also find that spending a little more time thinking about the sounds that you can hear, instead of merely hearing them, will help to strengthen the connection between your ears and your brain. This can help you to identify sounds more easily in the future.
Exercise Your Brain
That connection between your brain and your ears is essential. Studies have shown that people with depression and other mental health issues are more likely to have difficulty hearing. This could be because the part of their brain that is helping their ears to identify sounds isn’t working at it’s best.
Keeping your mind active and alert can be a huge help. Practice puzzles, learn a new language, do things with the opposite hand and ready to give your mind a workout, and practice yoga and other exercises to boost your body and help your mental health.