Chris has been a bit forgetful as of late. She forgot her doctor’s appointment for the second month in a row (now she has to reschedule again). And she even forgot to run the dishwasher before bed (looks as if she’ll be handwashing her coffee cup this morning). Things have been slipping through the cracks. Chris has been feeling mentally exhausted and drained all the time but, strangely, she doesn’t feel forgetful.
Only after that feeling is sneaking up on you, will you start to recognize it. But despite how forgetful you might feel, the issue isn’t really about memory. Your hearing is the actual issue. And that means you can substantially improve your memory by wearing one little device.
How to Enhance Your Memory And General Cognitive Function
So, having a hearing test is the first step to enhance your memory so you will remember that eye exam and will remember everyone’s name at the next meeting. If you have hearing loss a hearing test will alert you to how severe your impairment is.
Chris hasn’t detected any signs of hearing loss yet so she hesitates to schedule an appointment. She can hear in noisy rooms somewhat well enough. And she’s never had a tough time listening to any of her team members at work.
But just because her symptoms aren’t noticeable doesn’t mean that they aren’t present. Actually, one of the first symptoms of hearing impairment is loss of memory. And strain on the brain is the base cause. It works like this:
- Gradually and nearly imperceptibly, your hearing begins to diminish.
- Your ears notice a lack of sound, however slight.
- Your brain begins working a little harder to translate and amplify the sounds you are able to hear.
- Everything seems normal, but it takes more work from your brain to comprehend the sounds.
That type of continuous strain can be really difficult on your brain’s limited resources. So you don’t have as much mental energy for things such as, well, memory or for other cognitive processes.
Hearing Loss And Dementia
When loss of memory is extreme, the result might be dementia. And dementia and hearing loss do have a link, though there are several other factors at work and the cause and effect relationship continues to be rather murky. Still, there is a higher danger of cognitive decline with people who have untreated hearing loss, which can begin as memory loss and ultimately (over the years) turn into more severe problems.
Hearing Aids And Fending Off Fatigue
This is why it’s essential to treat your hearing loss. Significant increase of cognitive function was observed in 97.3% of individuals with hearing loss who used hearing aids for at least 18 months according to one study.
Similar benefits have been seen in several other studies. It’s definitely helpful to wear hearing aids. When your brain doesn’t have to strain quite as hard, your general cognitive function gets better. Sure, a hearing aid isn’t a memory panacea, memory problems and cognitive decline can be a complicated mixture of causes and elements.
The First Symptom of Hearing Loss is Frequently Memory Loss
This kind of memory loss is usually temporary, it’s an indication of mental fatigue more than an underlying change in the way your brain operates. But that can change if the fundamental concerns remain un-addressed.
Memory loss, then, can be somewhat of an early warning system. When you first begin to observe those symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your hearing specialist. As soon as your underlying hearing issues are addressed, your memory should go back to normal.
And your hearing will probably get better also. A hearing aid can help stem the decline in your hearing. These little devices, in this way, will improve your overall health not only your hearing.