Great news, Americans are living longer than ever before.
In 1950, the average life expectancy was 68; as of 2015, the average American’s life expectancy is 79. Healthy living and healthy aging practices have contributed to the change, making the most of those years is up to us. Here are a few quick tips that can help improve your quality of life.
Get your hearing tested.
Hearing health impacts almost every facet of your life, from improving communication to decreasing the chances of a slip-and-fall accident or your chances of dementia.
The Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professionals (UK) recommends getting your hearing tested every five years from age 18 to 45, every three years from age 45 to age 60, and every two years over the age of 60. Hearing loss can be attributed to many factors, include age, but also military service, noise in the workplace, loud music, illness, and injury.
Be sure to mention any medications and dietary supplements you are taking to your doctor, something as common blood pressure medication or aspirin, taken in large doses, can impact your hearing.
Protect your hearing.
Treat yourself. Invest in some good quality, noise cancelling, over-the-ear headphones for yourself, your children, and grandchildren. They’ll thank you in the future. You’ll be able to enjoy your favorite music, podcasts, and radio shows without cranking up the volume while at the gym or out walking for exercise. Popular in-canal earbuds sit closer to the eardrum and can get 7 to 9 decibels louder than over-the-ear headphones.
Wear ear protection when doing yard work, like mowing the lawn or running the snowblower, and while enjoying recreational activities, such as attending car races or shooting guns. Exposure to noise greater than 140 decibels can cause permanent damage to your hearing. Under certain conditions, anyone who does not wear hearing protection while shooting can suffer hearing loss with as little as one shot.
Stay physically active.
Exercise is good for more than just your body. Exercise helps increase blood flow to your heart, brain, and ears. As you age, it is important to maintain or add aerobic activity to help with overall cardiovascular health. Even low impact exercises, like tai chi, aid balance and stability and are beneficial to hearing health, according to studies by Harvard Medical School.
Keep in mind these healthy aging tips apply at every age, from eight to 80. It’s never too early to take a baseline hearing test, protect your hearing, and adopt an exercise program. MDHearingAid offers affordable hearing aids for adults that can help with healthy aging. We’re only a click or call away.