Evidence proves practical lifestyle adjustments add years of well-being.
Reporting in the Washington Post, Leana S. Wen, M.D., notes that three lifestyle changes can add years to your life, namely, treating hearing loss with hearing aids, exercising regularly, and connecting socially deliver astonishing improvements in heart disease, dementia, and premature death.
Avoid assumptions: It’s easy to view hearing loss as an inevitable nuisance of aging—and not connected to depression and earlier mortality.
But even mild hearing loss measurably erodes health over time if left untreated. For example, untreated hearing loss significantly increases the health risks of social isolation in the following way:
- 29% higher heart disease risk
- 50% greater dementia risk, equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes daily.
Why it matters
Huge investments have been made in chasing longevity through medical innovation. But familiar, practical lifestyle adjustments you can do today rival many so-called “advances” for increasing your quality of life and longevity.
The evidence:
The frequency of dementia among the 2,413 study participants with moderate/severe hearing loss was 61 percent higher than in participants who had normal hearing. Hearing aid use was associated with a 32 percent lower prevalence of dementia in the 853 participants who had moderate/severe hearing loss. —Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, January 10, 2023
Solution: Hearing aids restore hearing and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Remember this: Researcher at Johns Hopkins University led by Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., found that—
- Mild hearing loss increases the risk of dementia 2X
- Moderate hearing loss increases the risk of dementia 3X
- Severe hearing loss increases the risk of dementia 5X
The big picture
- Exercise as simple as 11 additional minutes of brisk daily walking shrinks the chance of heart disease by 17% and cancer by 7%.
- But 1 in 3 Americans need to hit this tiny target.
- Loneliness rivals smoking's risk impact. Yet a third of us now need more social connections.
- Treating hearing loss makes socializing possible again.
The takeaway
Before chasing speculative anti-aging breakthroughs, implement what's proven to add years of clear thinking and mobility.
- Prioritize your hearing care, daily exercise, and social connections.
- Take small steps to improve your health on a grand scale.
Schedule a free hearing screening
Hearing loss is gradual and not benign. Untreated, it increases your risk of falling, cognitive decline, and dementia.
Check your hearing health with a free, 15-minute hearing screening by an audiologist.
Call 708-599-9500 to schedule yours.
► For facts about hearing loss and hearing aid options, download The Hearing Loss Guide.
Don't let untreated hearing loss threaten your health and happiness.
