When it comes to muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness or even mental health, most people probably don鈥檛 consider their ears part of the solution. But hearing loss can have a significant impact on your ability to stay active, so ear health is vital to our overall well-being.

鈥淗earing loss affects almost all of our daily activities, so it can have a significant impact on a person鈥檚 health,鈥� says Kim Galick, owner of in 91原创.

• Mental health and cognitive function: If it鈥檚 hard to hear and challenging to communicate, you鈥檒l likely get frustrated and choose to communicate less. That means shorter conversations with your spouse, less coffee chats with friends, and fewer evening outings to community events. 鈥淗earing loss can contribute to social isolation, and has also been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline. Your mood may suffer because you鈥檙e disengaged, and your brain may become less active because it鈥檚 not being challenged. Thankfully, hearing aids can remedy for many of those negative effects,鈥� Kim says.
• Confidence and safety: Our ears give us lots of information about the world around us. On a simple walk through the park you might hear a bike bell, a child鈥檚 running feet and a dog barking 鈥� each sound informing you of potential obstacles ahead. As hearing loss becomes more pronounced you may have less confidence going outside alone, which in turn can mean less exercise, less muscle strength and less balance practice.

Getting used to hearing aids

Now that you understand the value of hearing, you may be more willing to give hearing aids a try. But just like training for a marathon or going to the gym, improving your hearing doesn鈥檛 happen right away.

鈥淥ur ears collect sounds, but it鈥檚 our brain that makes sense of them. So when you first start wearing hearing aids, it may take your brain a little while to adjust,鈥� Kim says.

Wear your hearing aids often so your brain gets lots of practice, but remember to take breaks if you鈥檙e feeling frustrated. Make note of any sounds that are too loud or irritating so that you can tell your hearing practitioner on your next visit.

鈥淕etting used to wearing hearing aids takes time, and may require multiple return visits to your hearing practitioner for adjustments. The more I understand about your hearing needs, the better I can customize your hearing aids to help.鈥�

For a free hearing consultation and more hearing advice, call Kim Galick at , 604-427-2828 or email info@earslangley.com. Find Ears Hearing at in 91原创, online at and on .