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As we age the risk of hearing loss increases exponentially. For those of us 60 years old, one in four will have hearing loss, but within five years this number rises to one third! By the time we are 75 and older, half of us will have hearing loss! The key to aging gracefully is up for debate, but experts across the board believe that one of the secrets is staying active. When we live with untreated hearing loss, it can not only make it difficult for us to communicate but impede our ability to stay active. However, by addressing a hearing loss you may increase your ability to stay active and connected for years to come, not only improving your relationships, but your overall quality of life.
Hearing Aids and an Active Life!
When we struggle to hear it not only makes it difficult to hear, but to connect to the people in your life at work, at home and everywhere you go. You see, hearing loss can be incredibly frustrating and exhausting as you struggle through everyday conversations. It can mean that socialization is unpleasurable, which may decrease your likelihood to connect to others, make plans and try new things. The less you challenge yourself, the more likely you are to have an active lifestyle.
However, with an active lifestyle, you not only have a chance to decrease further risk of hearing loss, but you can improve heart health, brain health, mood and just about every aspect of your overall health. Whether you love to play tennis, golf, basketball, or love to run, lift weights or bike, it will not only boost your mood but protect your overall health. While age related hearing loss is a permanent and irreversible condition, it can be treated using hearing aids. With hearing aids, you are more likely to be more connected and active. Let’s explore how hearing aids today can help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle!
Water-resistant vs. waterproof
We know that being active means getting sweaty every now and then. This is an inevitable part of an active lifestyle. The good news is that most hearing aids today offer water resistant options to minimize the risk to your moisture sensitive digital devices. While water-resistance refers to an item which can withstand some exposure to water or moisture, it is by no means waterproof. You will still have to take out your hearing aids when swimming or bathing, but rest assured that your hearing aids can stand up to moisture when you work up a sweat. However, to minimize the risk we recommend investing in a dehumidifier to help reduce the impact on your hearing aids and help them last longer.
IP ratings and what they mean
Investing in a hearing aid with a higher IP rating can be a good investment when you live an active lifestyle. IP stands for Ingress Protection rating, which is represented on each hearing aid as a two-digit number. The first number rates the degree of protection against debris, such as dust or sand, on a scale of 1-7. The second digit indicates how resistant the electrical device is to moisture and is rated on a scale of 1-9. The next time you are looking for new hearing aids make sure you explore their IP rating to find hearing amplification which can stand up to your active lifestyle.
Wind issues
When you are outside running, hiking, or biking with hearing aids, you may have experienced that the wind can take over your auditory experience. An overwhelming sound of wind can be all the difference between staying home or being active. Today hearing aids come with features to reduce wind to allow you to have no hesitation when considering exploring the great outdoors by limiting wind exposure over the microphone. In addition, some aids offer features which enable machine learning which will learn to project a moderate volume when amplifying wind sounds.
Considering Hearing Aids for an Active Lifestyle
Are you worried that hearing aids will keep you from being active? We have solutions for you and your everyday activities. To find out more, don’t hesitate to contact us today to set up a hearing exam and consultation now!