HEARING CARE
Good hearing
plays an important
role in maintaining
quality of life,
including healthy
cognitive function.
KEEP YOUR
BRAIN FIT
WITH A
HEARING
TEST
Keep your brain fit with
a hearing test
Crossword puzzles, brain exercises
and memory games are just some
of the popular ways people try
to improve their brain fitness.
For people who want to make
smart choices when it comes to
brain health, maintaining hearing
health is a great place to start. The
simple act of scheduling a hearing
health check-up may do more for
your brain than the highest score
on any “brain fitness” app!
Hearing with Your Brain
The reason is simple. Good
hearing plays an important role in
maintaining quality of life, including
healthy cognitive function. That’s
because hearing starts with the
brain. It’s your brain that processes
and interprets the sounds your
ears detect. Your ears and your
brain work together, with your
brain doing the heavy lifting.
For example, your brain uses the
information from both ears to
orient you by figuring out which
direction sound is coming from. It
is in your brain that sound waves
become sounds that you recognise.
And your brain is what helps you
focus in on a conversation and
separate out unwanted noise.
When hearing is compromised,
such as with hearing loss, the
sound signals that your brain is
used to processing are different
and it takes more effort to fill in the
blanks. You work harder trying to
make it through the many listening
experiences that fill a typical day.
The extra work of keeping up with
conversations in social settings
or following the discussion in a
business meeting can leave you
tired and frustrated. You may begin
to withdraw from social situations,
even with family and friends.
Social Isolation and
Cognitive Decline
Numerous studies have shown that
untreated hearing loss can lead to
isolation, depression, anxiety and
frustration. Untreated hearing loss