Unaddressed hearing loss is a serious health issue, impacting millions of people across the world and at various points throughout life. Our hearing health isn’t just something that changes as we age either; exposure to loud sounds through headphone use and day-to-day life in our noisy world are all contributing factors.
1 in 3 people aged over 65 experience hearing loss, while 1.1 billion young people are at risk.
At eargym, our mission is to raise awareness about the correlation between hearing loss, social isolation, and cognitive health, giving you the tools needed to take action to protect, monitor, and love your hearing for longer.
Short-term risks of hearing loss
Changes to our hearing health can impact us in a variety of ways. For some people it can mean they feel less safe when out and about, while for others it can lead to a loss of work or change to their profession.
Not only this, our hearing health also impacts our relationships and social lives. You may find it harder to keep up with conversations, or struggle in larger social group situations, ultimately opting out of social interactions rather than attempt to struggle through.
Long-term risks of hearing loss
Hearing loss is a much more serious health issue than most people realise, partly because it’s relatively new news. The scientific research that clearly demonstrates the correlation between hearing loss, social isolation, mild cognitive impairment and dementia was most powerfully brought together by The Lancet Commission in 2017. Lasting hearing loss can increase your rate of cognitive decline by 40%, and is the most amenable factor in 9% of all dementia cases.
What can you do?
Protect your hearing
It is important to avoid exposure to loud noises which can damage your ear’s haircells, this is especially important if you work in noisy places.
Monitor
Regular hearing checks are important to keep an eye on your hearing so you can take the right steps to protect your hearing at the right times.
Start training
eargym is developing immersive hearing training games, an innovative way to practise and improve your hearing skills to help you manage your hearing health.