You’ve probably been made aware of the potential harm to your hearing associated with certain workout routines. We’ve previously explored the connection between exercise and hearing loss before. However, it’s interesting to note that there are some workouts believed to have a positive impact on your hearing.
Let’s delve into a closer examination of these unconventional “workout” routines.
Noise-filtering workout
Do you find your blood pressure rising when you attempt to listen to someone amidst background noise? Perhaps you’re keen on concentrating on your sister’s narrative about her recent Yellowstone trip with her children, but her words seem drowned out by the surrounding chatter, the television, or a fan.
If you’ve experienced a loss in certain hearing frequencies, distinguishing between sounds can feel like an ongoing struggle, potentially leaving you feeling fatigued.
Noise filtering serves as a mental exercise where you deliberately expose yourself to progressively increasing levels of background noise while engaging in conversation. As you master each level, you progress to the next. It’s important to note that this exercise doesn’t alter your ability to hear frequencies; for that, hearing aids programmed to amplify the frequencies you struggle to hear are most effective. However, exercises like noise filtering may help enhance your capacity to focus on sound distinctions, improving your ability to discern voices effectively.
Yoga & relaxation workouts
Unmanaged stress and anxiety can exacerbate tinnitus, characterized by ringing in the ears. It not only elevates blood pressure but can also make seemingly simple tasks, like conversing with a friend in a tranquil park, as challenging as holding a discussion on a crowded bus. Prolonged high blood pressure contributes to the deterioration of blood vessels, including those crucial for hearing.
Yoga offers an effective means to unwind both the body and mind. Engaging in mindfulness, practicing yogic breathing, and incorporating exercises known to lower blood pressure can alleviate stress. These techniques are also believed to be beneficial in the management of tinnitus.
Audio workout apps
Indeed, there exists an app that claims to enhance hearing capabilities. The initial step involves engaging in enjoyable, music-based tests to assess your hearing. The app requires information about the extent of your hearing loss. Subsequently, it emits nearly inaudible sounds through headphones, targeting the inner ear areas struggling to perceive those particular sounds. As the sound gradually becomes fully audible, you adjust the app back to a barely audible level.
Within your inner ear are tiny hair-like sensors, each attuned to specific frequencies, creating a dance with sound waves. The brain interprets this dance to recognize distinct sounds, differentiating, for example, between a police siren, a car alarm, or a storm.
Throughout life, exposure to damaging noises can harm these tiny hairs. Unfortunately, humans lack the ability to regenerate or heal these hairs, contributing to the permanence of age-related hearing loss. However, apps of this nature claim to help individuals maximize their existing hearing capabilities.
These apps aim to revitalize damaged hair cells and simultaneously engage the brain, fostering the creation of new neural pathways between the hair cells and the auditory center. The hypothesis is that the more of these microscopic pathways your auditory nerves develop, the more effectively you can process sound.
Studies conducted by certain audio workout companies indicated a noteworthy 10-decibel increase in volume perception for the frequencies addressed by the app in 75% of participants. A 10-decibel increase generally represents a doubling of perceived loudness. Even a 1-decibel improvement in hearing ability in a specific frequency would be considered significant.
While the effectiveness of such apps for everyone with hearing loss remains uncertain and requires further research, early evidence suggests intriguing possibilities.
Hearing aid workout
Enhancing your hearing can also involve exercising your brain through the use of hearing aids. Hearing loss has been associated with a decline in cognitive function. When you regain your hearing with the help of hearing technology, it becomes essential to retrain your brain to recognize and interpret sounds. This process requires practice.
Your hearing specialist is likely to recommend exercises and strategies to help you effectively use your hearing aids. These exercises serve a dual purpose: not only do they assist the artificial intelligence in the devices in adapting to changes in your environment, but they also aid your brain in processing sounds accurately.
While exercises like these may help, if you’re experiencing hearing loss don’t delay getting tested and seeking treatment. Hearing loss has been linked to more than just loss of cognitive function.
