A new year has officially arrived, and with a new year comes New Year’s Resolutions. Most people take the new year as a time to make some commitments to better themselves throughout the next 365 days and evaluate their health and well-being. This is the time to see if there are any changes you want to make for 2022. 

While you're devoting time to lose 10 pounds or develop a morning routine, if you experience hearing loss in Omaha, our audiologists recommend also committing yourself to better hearing this year. This is because being kind to your ears and paying attention to your hearing can help to prevent other diseases from forming like dementia, or brain atrophy. Plus, improving your hearing can be synonymous with improving your quality of life!

Here are a few resolutions you can make for better hearing in 2022:

1. Make an appointment with an audiologist 

There are a lot of misconceptions that surround getting a hearing test and making an appointment with an audiologist. Many people believe that they are too young for hearing loss or think that they hear just fine and therefore don’t need to make a hearing appointment. However, a hearing test can help to define a baseline for your hearing and see if any hearing loss does develop over the years. Making an appointment with an audiologist and hearing loss Omaha specialist is a simple step that everyone can take to better their hearing this year. 

2. Pay attention to the volume of things 

Try to always check the volume of your car’s stereo, television, phone, and music. Audio that plays at too loud a volume for an extended period of time can be damaging to your hearing. This damage is irreversible, so the time to act is now. Try to avoid turning the volume up on things, and if you do, limit the amount of time your ears are exposed to the noise. 

3. Increase your physical activity

Increasing the amount you exercise and move your body for the year can not only make you feel better, but also has a direct effect on your hearing. One study from the American Journal of Medicine showed that individuals who engage in physical activity lessen their risk of developing a hearing impairment, especially women who walk more than two hours every week. 

4. Stop smoking 

Smokers are up to 60 percent more likely to develop high frequency hearing loss than their non-smoking counterparts. This is because nicotine and the smoke from cigarettes can interfere with your auditory nerve, irritate the lining of your middle ear, and make you more sensitive to noise. Smoking is also likely linked to the development of tinnitus too. 

5. Wear your hearing aids if you have them

If you have been prescribed hearing aids and gone through the fitting process, then the best thing you can do for your hearing health is to wear them. Wearing your hearing aids gives your brain the boost it needs to keep your auditory processing up-to-speed and maintain your brain health. 

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If you are experiencing hearing loss in Omaha then contact us! We can help you to have better hearing in 2022 and beyond!