As of late, Chris has been somewhat forgetful. 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 fatigued and depleted all the time but, curiously, she doesn’t feel forgetful.
Only after that feeling is sneaking up on you, will you start to realize it. Frequently, though, the problem isn’t your memory, despite how forgetful you may appear. The real issue is your hearing. And that means there’s one little device, a hearing aid, that can assist you to substantially improve your memory.
How to Enhance Your Overall Cognitive Function And Memory
So, having a hearing test is the first step to enhance your memory so you will remember that dentist appointment 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 hesitates, though, because she hasn’t observed any signs or symptoms of hearing loss. She can hear in noisy rooms somewhat well enough. And when she’s working, she doesn’t have an issue hearing team members.
But just because her symptoms aren’t obvious doesn’t mean that they aren’t present. In fact, one of the first symptoms of hearing impairment is memory loss. And strain on the brain is the base cause. It works like this:
- Gradually and almost imperceptibly, your hearing begins to diminish.
- Your ears notice a lack of sound, however mild.
- Your brain starts working a little harder to decipher and boost the sounds you are able to hear.
- Everything feels normal, but it takes more work on your brain’s part to make sense of the sounds.
Your brain only has so much processing power which can really be dragged down by that kind of burden. So things like cognitive function and memory take a back seat.
Dementia And Hearing Loss
When memory loss is extreme, the result could be dementia. And there is a link between dementia and hearing loss, though there are several other factors involved and the cause and effect relationship continues to be fairly uncertain. Still, there is an increased danger of cognitive decline with those who have neglected hearing loss, starting with some minor memory issues and increasing to more serious cognitive problems.
Wearing Hearing Aids Can Help You Prevent Fatigue
That’s the reason why treating your hearing loss is essential. According to one study, 97.3% of individuals who suffer from hearing loss who used hearing aids for at least 18 months showed a marked stabilization or improvement in their cognitive abilities.
Similar results have been seen in several other studies. It’s unquestionably helpful to wear hearing aids. When your brain doesn’t have to work quite as hard, your total cognitive function improves. Memory loss and problems with cognitive function can have lots of intricate factors and hearing aids aren’t always a magic bullet.
Memory Loss Can be The First Signal of Hearing Loss
This type of memory loss is commonly not permanent, it’s an indication of exhaustion more than an underlying change in the way your brain operates. But that can change if the underlying issues remain neglected.
So if you’re recognizing some loss of memory, it can be an early warning of hearing loss. You should set up an appointment with your hearing professional as soon as you recognize these symptoms. As soon as your fundamental hearing problems are dealt with, your memory should return to normal.
And your hearing will most likely improve also. The decline in your hearing will be slowed significantly by using hearing aids. In this way, your general wellness, not just your memory, could be improved by these little devices.