If you’re similar to most, you’ve probably been postponing your hearing test. You might even have had others propose that you get one but you keep finding excuses not to go.
If so, we’re going to try to persuade you to begin the new year by finally getting that hearing test. As you’ll notice, having your hearing tested is fast and easy, and if you do have hearing loss, correcting it does wonders for your health and happiness—not to mention it gets everyone off your back.
So here’s our case for why you should arrange a hearing test right away.
Our top 10 reasons to get your hearing tested are:
1. The hearing test is painless and takes less than an hour – it’s easy to set up an appointment, and getting your hearing tested requires less time than it takes to shop for groceries. As opposed to having it constantly in the back of your mind, call today and get it over with.
2. If your hearing is normal you can rub it in – if the hearing test demonstrates that your hearing is normal, you can inform your family members and friends that they really ARE mumbling.
3. You may, in fact, have hearing loss and not realize it – hearing loss builds up slowly, so the person affected is almost always not the first to notice. That implies there’s a good chance your family and friends were right when they recommended that you get a hearing test in the first place.
4. Hearing loss gets worse over time and is best treated early – the hearing you lose cannot be entirely restored, but hearing aids can help reverse the process and stimulate the areas of the brain involved in speech and sound processing.
5. Hearing loss may be an indicator of other health issues – hearing loss is commonly caused by direct exposure to loud noise or by the normal aging process. But on occasion, hearing loss is a manifestation of a more serious underlying cardiovascular or neurological condition. Either way, your hearing health is deeply connected to your overall well-being.
6. You can preserve and enhance your mind and memory – recent studies by Johns Hopkins University have linked hearing loss to cognitive decline, memory issues, and even dementia. But a recent study has also shown that maximizing sound stimulation to the brain may help to keep your mind strong.
7. You can elevate your mood – researchers have found a strong association between hearing loss and depression, but research also demonstrates that people with hearing loss that use hearing aids have less depressive symptoms and greater social engagement.
8. You’ll be more outgoing and social – If you do have hearing loss and can be helped by hearing aids, you might detect an alteration in your social habits. Individuals with healthier hearing have the tendency to be more outgoing and less restrained in groups, which improves both mood and physical health.
9. You’ll have much better conversations – hearing loss as a rule affects speech comprehension the most, interfering with conversations. If you’re tired of having to say “what” all of the time, it might be time for a hearing test.
10. You can make more money – a study by the Better Hearing Institute discovered that people with hearing loss, on average, earn $12,000 less per year when compared with those with normal hearing, contingent on the degree of hearing loss. However, the study also found that the use of hearing aids offset these income effects by 50 percent.
As the research continues to come in, it will only confirm how critical hearing health is to our overall quality of life. So if you care about your health, your relationships, and your total well-being, now is the time to take action.
So how about it? For the sake of your health and happiness and for those around you, arrange your hearing test today!