Just like building any muscle in your body, practicing your hearing skills can help your brain to train to hear better. Read about 3 activities that can support better hearing:
Musical training
A fun way to train your ears is through musical training. Musicians are familiar with training their “aural skills” which is training the ability to hear the various sounds in a musical arrangement. A simple way to do this is through active listening. Play your favorite song and ask yourself: Is the rhythm slow or fast? Are the sounds loud or quiet? What types of sounds are there? These exercises will help your overall ability to focus on and recognize the sounds around you. Recent research has shown that musical training may delay the decline of auditory perception and cognition later in life1,2.
Learning an instrument is another way to develop your musical training.
Physical training
Exercise promotes blood circulation in the body, including your ears and brain, which in turn helps to improve nerve function in these areas. More specifically, practicing yoga may be especially beneficial for hearing loss as it relaxes muscle tissues in targeted areas as well, further aiding blood flow. Recommended exercises for increasing blood flow around the areas include head rotations and the “downward dog” yoga pose, which involves placing your palms on the ground while your feet also remain planted on the ground so that your body makes a “V” shape; you can then let your head and neck relax between your outstretched arms3,4.
Wearing hearing aids
Hearing aids offer life-changing benefits, such as improved life quality and communication. Since hearing aids improve hearing capabilities overall, the brain is able to process more of the sounds around you, thereby preventing any worsening of hearing loss over time. A large benefit of wearing hearing aids is that you will be able to train your brain to process the sounds you may have otherwise missed due to hearing loss, allowing you to keep your brain fit. If you think you may have untreated hearing loss, visit a hearing clinic so that you can test your hearing and learn how hearing aids could benefit you5.
Conclusion:
Training your hearing on a regular basis can have a positive impact on both your hearing health and your overall wellness. Try practicing some of the activities discussed in order to train your listening skills and keep your brain fit.
If you want to learn more about how you can improve your hearing with hearing aids, book an appointment with your local hearing care expert.
1. https://www.musical-u.com/learn/10-musical-ear-training-tips-for-the-adult-beginner/#
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23831039
3. https://fimswomen.com/2018/09/03/yoga-cardio-exercise-improve-hearing/
4. https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/Fulltext/2018/06000/Yoga_for_People_with_Hearing_Loss.7.aspx
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6088475/