We all face challenges from time to time that can increase our stress levels and make us tense and anxious. For some of us, hearing loss can lead to higher stress levels. You may worry about being unable to follow along during an important work meeting or feeling burnt out from struggling to listen all day.
The good news is that treating your hearing loss with hearing aids can help relieve stress and help you to reset and reconnect with others.
Research Shows Hearing Aids Improve Mental Health
Many studies have found that hearing aids benefit mental health. One study had 31 elderly patients fill out a questionnaire assessing their psychological stress response before and after being fitted for hearing aids. The results showed that “scores for depression, anxiety and anger were significantly lower after the hearing aid had been fitted.”
Ways That Hearing Aids Reduce Stress Levels
There are several reasons why hearing aids reduce stress for people with hearing loss, including:
- Reduce social anxiety and isolation. Strong social connections are fantastic for improving our mental health and lowering stress levels. People with hearing loss often start isolating themselves from others because communicating is too difficult. Hearing aids make it easier to do things like attend family barbeques, go to your place of worship or meet friends for lunch at The Buttermilk Café.
- Help you stay physically active. Physical activity, whether taking a fitness class, practicing gentle yoga or taking regular walks around New Braunfels, can help increase endorphins and lower stress levels. Hearing aids support your balance and help keep you more aware of your surroundings, making physical activity easier.
- Relieve tinnitus. Both hearing loss and high levels of emotional stress can increase tinnitus, which is a ringing, buzzing, clicking or other similar noise in your ear. Additionally, tinnitus can make you feel more anxious and depressed and interfere with your sleep and overall quality of life. Hearing aids have been shown to offer some relief from tinnitus symptoms, which can help lower anxiety levels and leave you feeling calmer and more rested.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of hearing aids or need to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, call The ENT Center of New Braunfels today.
