As of late, Chris has been somewhat forgetful. She forgot her doctor’s appointment two months in a row (now she needs to reschedule again). And she even overlooked running the dishwasher before bed (looks like she’ll be handwashing her coffee cup this morning). Things have been getting lost lately. Chris has been feeling mentally fatigued and drained all the time but, curiously, she doesn’t feel forgetful.
It can be difficult to put your finger on that feeling until it’s sneaking up on you. Often, though, the trouble isn’t your memory, despite how forgetful you might appear. The real concern is your hearing. And that means there’s one little device, a hearing aid, that can help you significantly improve your memory.
How to Enhance Your Memory And Overall Cognitive Function
So, having a hearing exam is the first measure to improve your memory so you will not forget that dentist appointment and will remember everyone’s name in the next meeting. If you have hearing loss a hearing examination will alert you to how severe your impairment is.
Chris hasn’t recognized any signs of hearing loss yet so she hesitates to schedule an appointment. She can hear in crowded rooms somewhat well enough. And she’s never had a difficult time hearing any of her team members at work.
But just because her symptoms aren’t noticeable doesn’t mean that they aren’t present. As a matter of fact, memory loss is often one of the very first noticeable signs of hearing loss. And it all involves brain strain. This is how it works:
- Your hearing starts to fade, perhaps so slowly you don’t notice.
- However slight, your ears start to notice a lack of sound input.
- The sounds that you do hear, need to be boosted and interpreted which causes your brain to work extra hard.
- You can’t detect any real difference but in order to comprehend sound your brain has to work extra hard.
That amount of continual strain can be really difficult on your brain’s limited resources. So you have less mental energy for things like, well, memory or for other cognitive processes.
Dementia And Hearing Loss
When loss of memory is extreme, the result might be dementia. And dementia and hearing loss do have a link, though what the precise cause-effect relationship is, continues to be rather unknown. Still, there is a higher danger of cognitive decline with people who have neglected hearing loss, which can start as memory loss and ultimately (over the years) become more severe problems.
Keeping Fatigue Under Control With Hearing Aids
That’s the reason why treating your hearing loss is indispensable. Noticeable increase of cognitive function was noted in 97.3% of individuals with hearing loss who used hearing aids for at least 18 months according to one study.
Various other research has revealed similar results. It’s unquestionably helpful to wear hearing aids. When your brain doesn’t have to strain quite as hard, your general cognitive function gets better. 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 Sign of Hearing Loss
This form of memory loss is mostly because of mental fatigue and is normally temporary. But if the fundamental concerns are not dealt with, that could change.
Loss of memory, then, can be something of an early warning system. You should schedule an appointment with your hearing specialist as soon as you notice these symptoms. As soon as your fundamental hearing problems are addressed, your memory should go back to normal.
As an added bonus, your hearing health will most likely improve, as well. A hearing aid can help stem the decline in your hearing. These little devices, in a sense, will improve your total health not only your hearing.