With each New Year, come our grand New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps this year we have resolved to cut refined sugar, exercise more or spend more time with our grandkids. As beautiful as these resolutions are, they are difficult to stick to. In fact, most Americans give up on their New Year’s resolutions just 17 days after the year has begun.
Since January 17th has already come and gone, why not set a new New Year’s resolution? What about a resolution you can actually keep because you only have to do it once? How about a resolution that once done, could have a profoundly positive impact on your life?
Sounds too good to be true, right?
Fortunately, resolving to get your hearing tested this new year is just that type of resolution. All you need to do is schedule the appointment and show up, and you have already kept your resolution for the year! If the results of your hearing assessment indicate a hearing loss, then taking action to treat the loss could have profoundly positive impacts in many areas of your life.
How Getting Your Hearing Tested Could Improve Your Relationships
Many people resolve to spend more time with friends and family each new year, and getting your hearing tested could help you to do just that.
Untreated hearing loss can cause many issues with our relationships. People with untreated hearing loss tend to find social situations frustrating or uncomfortable, because following conversations seems too difficult or it feels like everyone is mumbling. Studies have found that people with untreated hearing loss tend to shy away from social situations they once loved, and this causes social isolation. Social isolation can lead to depression, anxiety, or even cognitive decline.
Social isolation is not the only issue that untreated hearing loss can cause. Untreated hearing loss can also cause major issues in even our most intimate relationships, including with our significant others. When we have difficulty hearing, this can lead to more misunderstandings, which can cause a breakdown in communication. When communication breaks down, relationships ultimately suffer.
Luckily, when hearing loss is properly treated, most of these relationship issues diminish. Studies have found that both people who treat their hearing loss and their partners report a positive change in their relationships and overall quality of life after using hearing aids.
How Getting Your Hearing Tested Could Improve Your Health
Resolutions surrounding our physical, emotional, or cognitive health are the most popular amongst Americans. Luckily, getting a hearing assessment could be a first step in living a healthier and happier life.
In recent years, scientists have uncovered some pretty shocking correlations between untreated hearing loss and an increased risk of cognitive decline such as Alzheimer’s Disease. In fact, one of the most cited studies comes out of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_and_dementia_linked_in_study). This study found that people with mild hearing loss were twice as likely, people with moderate hearing loss were three times as likely, and people with severe hearing loss were an astonishing five times as likely to have developed dementia over the course of the study than their peers who had no hearing loss.
Luckily, treating hearing loss with hearing aids has been found to significantly slow down cognitive decline in older adults. In fact, hearing loss has recently been named as one of the top modifiable risks of developing dementia.
How Getting Your Hearing Tested Could Improve Your Earning Potential
Some Americans set a New Year’s resolution that is related to their financial health. You guessed it – choosing to get a hearing assessment could lead to a boost in your finances as well.
Studies have found that untreated hearing loss can have a massively negative impact on a person’s earning potential throughout their life. Recently, data has shown that people with untreated hearing loss earn about $12,000 per year less than their counterparts without hearing loss. It has also been found that people with untreated hearing loss are seen as less competent in the workplace than their peers without hearing loss or those who choose to treat their hearing loss with hearing aids. Unsurprisingly, people with hearing loss are also more likely to be passed up for a promotion than those without hearing losses.
Luckily, choosing to treat hearing loss with hearing aids has been shown to be able to mitigate about 90-100% of this gap in earning potential.
Hearing Wellness Solutions
Ready to tackle a health goal for 2020? Contact us at Hearing Wellness Solutions today to schedule an appointment for a hearing test. We look forward to hearing from you!