Your hearing is obviously important, and we all want to know that we can hear as well as possible. But did you know that it is also something which affects your general health? Because of this, it’s really important to make sure that you are keeping on top of your ear health and taking good care of your hearing. In this post, we are going to delve into this relationship a little deeper to see exactly what you might need to know about it. All in all the following are really useful things to be aware of.
Hearing & The Brain
One of the main aspects to your general health that are affected by your hearing is your brain. In fact, hearing and cognitive function go hand in hand, and you are going to need to make sure that you are aware of this. Hearing relies on the brain’s ability to interpret sound, and when hearing loss occurs, the brain has to work a lot harder to fill in the gaps. Over time, this extra strain leads to fatigue and cognitive decline, and there is even an increased risk of dementia. So looking after your hearing is really important for your brain on the whole.
Cardiovascular Health
There is also a strong link between hearing health and cardiovascular health. The inner ear depends on a rich blood supply to function properly. This means that any condition which affects circulation can also impact your hearing. That will include everything from hypertension to heart disease and diabetes, for instance. Reduced blood flow may damage the delicate hair cells in the cochlea, leading to further hearing loss. So it’s really important for your hearing, as well as your heart, to be as heart-healthy as possible at all times.
Balance & Safety
As we all know, the ears are really important when it comes to balancing. This in turn is vital for making sure that you are safe as you go through your life. The vestibular system located in the inner ear helps control spatial orientation, so this is something that you are going to want to look after. How can you do that? It’s all about maintaining proper hearing health as well as you can. This will directly support mobility and safety, and you’ll be a lot less likely to fall and experience other such dangers as well.
Emotional & Social Health
Let’s not forget that there is such a thing as emotional health too, and your social health is a big part of that as well. It’s vital that you are looking after your hearing, because hearing loss can subtly but powerfully affect your mood. It can also make socializing more difficult, and can lead to feelings of alienation as well. So all in all, you are going to find it important to take good care of your hearing for these and the other reasons mentioned above.
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